Renaissance man
by veronca
Summary: Wesker. Ada. Krauser. Personal ideas mixed with the games. Spoilers from RE4. Mature themes but not explicit. Action plot on an outbreak on govt. sanctioned man made territory. story concentrates on action and character
1. The Renaissance Man

_A/N: this is a mature-themed story, involving characters Wesker, Krauser, and Ada._

_The plot and action in later chapters._

* * *

V.

_Renaissance Man. _

"I like power and I like to use it."

V.  


_

* * *

_

Wesker sat back, his dark sunglasses always hid the expressive rectitude in his eyes, but when he took them off – one might find something quite revealing. His once light sky-blues were replaced with the predatory zeal of cat's eyes, and anyone outside of his confidence would find them disturbing.

He was currently working with Ada, his little gopher, and what he thought was a skilled woman at nearly everything. She proved her loyalty to him in every way. She had done many missions for him and never failed to impress him – Ada had come back giving more to the mission than what was originally needed.

Leaning back against his black lounge chair, he released a heavy sigh and crossed his long fine masculine fingers together. Behind the sunglasses, the eyes smoldered with uncontrolled desire when he thought of how he had almost achieved the goals he has worked so hard towards. He was getting there – Ada would provide the inside tips as well as that former lackey he recruited: Jack Krauser.

The American soldier was indebted to Wesker, in that he had obtained more than what he bargained for when he became 'revived', now possessing a powerful mutative arm. Krauser has the ability to mutate one of his arms into a claw by the simple truth of Wesker's intervention. The same virus injected now swimming in Wesker's blood.

Ada was along the same curved road; Wesker intercepted, placing in his files – _"Her love for him drove her to her death."_

Leon. Always Leon. Even six years didn't make her forget. That man was in her blood. He didn't think for a minute that she would go through with eliminating Kennedy. It was so obvious when he had spoken to her then; he had asked her if she had taken care of the extra complication. She hadn't. Wesker decided beforehand to use Kennedy for their means; she would most assuredly agree to that, he had no doubt. If anything, knowing Ada was as simple as knowing himself. The woman just didn't realize it yet.

But he was as autognosis as any genius with common logic. Wesker believed that the most autarchist of them all would possess a balance of the two: Intellect and sense. Wisdom to know when to keep going, and when to stop. And sagacity to understand your enemies. He didn't have many friends, but then again, what did that matter to him?

He swiveled his chair around, facing the wide screen console. Reaching for a lighted small panel, he pressed it softly. This allowed the former black screen to beep - fused a light, and replaced it with a landscape to the front gates of his well secured building. _It was Ada._

She sat on a red and white convertible, matching her attire; her sunglasses atop her head, she slightly raised her head to look right straight into the camera. "Wesker. Aren't you going to let me in?"

"Where is your key?" Wesker languidly replied, curious.

"Lost. I don't know. If I had it traced, I'd have known." She simply shrugged one shoulder inelegantly, and as she parted her lips, she inhaled as if frustrated, exhaling out harder, blowing air upwards to the raven strands that fell along her forehead. She tapped on the steering wheel with forced patience, allowing Wesker to see her lean fingers, only to glide his eyes along the length of her bare arms now lightly bronzed from the summer sun.

He didn't say anything and pressed the button to allow the gates to open up. She took one more glance at the camera, then pressed the gas to go forward.

When she got inside the building, there were numerous passwords to go through – the signature of her hand placed on the heat of the lighted pad announced her identity. Doors slid open to allow her in.

As she approached Wesker in the darkness of his elegant office, her high heeled stilettos made loud noises. His back was turned to her, but he swiveled the chair around to face her as soon as she was but a few feet from him.

"I see you've been achieving quite a bit of a tan on you."

Ada Wong slightly smiled at his comment and as always, she knew you could never get a direct compliment from Wesker, but that didn't matter.

"So where's the sample?"

Retrieving what was concealed in her secret hiding place; the sample was enclosed around her hip area. She had pushed aside her dress, taking out the blue liquid held in by a crystal tube.

With deliberate arrogance, she held it out to him. "Right here. Did you think I wouldn't have succeeded?"

Slightly stretching out his arms in a detached gesticulation of - _maybe, _he dispassionately remarked that he didn't for one minute think that she couldn't do it. After all, he was her surreptitious weapon. He didn't think that Jack Krauser would get far – too hot headed, and too full of himself. There was only room for one ego to wave around. Not that he wasn't aware of Ada's obvious deception when it came to Leon – any fool could see she couldn't kill the one person who she died for, or would die for again.

He wasn't worried in the least bit.

"Come here." He said silkily.

Startled, she paused for a moment, then took a few more steps. For whatever she had done in her past, for whatever happened to her, she belonged to Wesker. She owed him her life.

He touched her fingers as she handed over the sample. In the semi-darkness of the office, the screen that showed the outside of his building suddenly went out – a regulatory method of keeping one's computer monitor in check.

In the swathe of darkness, they merged in heated silence. Her face above his, she was so close – so close that he could hear her panting and as she breathed harshly, her hands moved of their own accord and placed them inside his dark suit. Pushing them aside, he shook out of them; the sound of expensive silk blended with the hushed noise around them; their heated breaths mingled in the aviance of their illicit partnership.

Knowing what would come next, Ada swallowed with anticipation, her eyes slightly closed. She didn't even like Wesker. Not really. But she couldn't quit him either. He had planted a drug, a virus in her many years ago – to keep her alive, to keep her bonded to him. She was ultimately possessed body and soul.

But her mind would never be his. And her restless _heart_……belonged to_ Leon._

His hands had slowly gone up to hold her small waist, pushing up the dress. Ada helped him release the material that barred their skins from touching. The contact of his fingers on her breasts made her gasp, but more so as his lips touched where his hands had gone.

" Ada….." Wesker quietly groaned. "You've been a very bad girl. Losing that key...that's not like you."

The Renaissance man knew everything. Ada had given Leon a key to the Jet Ski on the mission, allowing that Government Agent to escape with the President's daughter. What other keys had Ada given?

"No…." She gasped again; her head was thrown back as he pulled her lower body close to his – his hand squeezed her waist, now the masculine lean fingers glided to the firm round ass he was so familiar with.

"No?" He growled softly, and in his predatory way - crashed his lips to hers; their hot tongues played with unsuppressed need, and she was seductively moving her partially nude body against his.

Ada had moved gracefully and wantonly in the darkness of his office, emitting soft cries of want and need; as if she couldn't get enough of his ministrations. He was a genius in every way, but as Wesker pushed her down to him, her heat encasing him – _he was owned._


	2. The Peninsula

_A/N: This was originally a one-shot, so as an experimental story and for my curiosity, it's continued. Not a romance because Wesker has no ability to love, but he values Ada's life and seems to see her more of a commodity than any of his loyal followers. He's always been aware that Ada cares for Leon, but he's still putting alot on the line for her. Check profile for more info if interested. Thanks. _

_Nothing explicit, but it has mature themes. Please excuse any small errors._

* * *

**V-2**

**The New Peninsula**

* * *

-X- 

They had come down from their clandestine little affair. Both parties acquiescing to their personal desires, however, Wesker wasn't about to let his guard down whenever it came to Ada. She was probably, the only person who could switch the tables on him. He was aware of that and the fact is: _he needed her. _

She felt a little disgusted at herself for betraying her own body like that. It's business as usual. Whatever Wesker has planned up his sleeve, Ada's sure to find out, but better sooner than later.

Right now, she has to get the right virus sample to the secret organization she's working for. It was a miracle that Wesker hadn't found out anything pertaining to that by now; she made very sure that he could not ever know.

He had kissed her before finishing up their love-making. _If one would call a rough and dysfunctional relationship -both playing cat and mouse with each other_- _love_.

Sometimes, Wesker would plant a kiss on her lips with a hidden tenderness she was surprised at. It startled her, but nevertheless, it was probably due to the fact that he likes to use every manipulative means to get her guard down, _even in bed_.

She could never know what he felt, only know that he enjoyed it. They both enjoyed their little games.

In the darkness, Wesker moved around to find a light – turning on the panoramic- three dimensional wide screen that portrayed the entire world. Ada looked up from the floor, and somehow, they had ended up on the carpeted floor of his elegant office.

Wesker shrugged into his pants, still shirtless, revealing his toned body. She tried to avert her eyes, but she couldn't help but notice the scars there – his battle scars, though slight, they didn't mar the masculine lean strength of his physique.

Looking up, she saw how he was able to see everything – from the village she was in to the area now obsolete. The last place she saw Leon. Closing her eyes, she sighed. Leon dropped off Ashley long ago and perhaps, perhaps he had gotten that special job to body guard the President's daughter after all.

"I have another mission for you, Ada. If you'll take it."

"I can't. I have to go on vacation, remember?" She quirked a dark brow at him.

In the dim light of the room, his cat's eyes were predatory, as if he would take her again, and she breathed heavily just from thinking about what they had gone through. Her traitorous body belonged to him - her soul belonged to whatever he had in plan. She knew that. Ada was no fool to fall for a man like Wesker. In fact, she abhorred everything he stood for. Planning to dominate the world through schemes; taking advantage of everyone's power and means, just like Umbrella had, was not something she was immensely proud of in her men. She had to admit, he was as crafty as herself.

Maybe that's why she stuck with him. Maybe that's why her soul is bonded with him, despite what he had done to revive what was left.

"You're going to have to postpone that vacation of yours. I promise it'll be worth your while."

He said silkily, his eyes scanned her, watching her expression. Then as quickly as he addressed the issue with that order, he returned to the screen and his lean fingers rolled on the sensitive touch to his command.

"Fine. But I still need that break. Maybe a couple days, no more." Ada hoped he wouldn't challenge her. He slightly nodded. "Hmmm. I see."

After a moment, he said. "Alright, I suppose while you're taking those two days off, you could stop by a certain laboratory on the way."

Ada narrowed her eyes slightly. Wesker always had another ulterior motive, which suited his needs. Even when the plans change, he always made sure he could benefit from it. _One of his charms_, she thought with sarcasm.

The sound of ice clinked in the hushed silence of the room; she looked at him with the same languid look he was giving her earlier. "Don't even offer a lady a drink?"

He gestured to the small bar; he had turned on the small row of overhead lights underneath the marble-black lacquered mini-bar which held small glasses and a couple of expensive brands of alcohol. "Help yourself. This small little detour would serve to benefit you as well."

Wesker's business-like tone somewhat rankled Ada, but who was she to criticize since she feels absolutely nothing for him; gratitude she could understand, but nothing more.

Walking to the bar with languid moves, she poured herself a glass of some expensive cognac, added a chunk of ice in and stirred the contents. "Intriguing. What is it this time?"

"You'll be happy with it. There's been a small outbreak in a small provincial town. A village off the coast of Madre-falls, a man-made peninsula."

"Sounds like a vacation. What's it about?"

"On the way to your few days rest, Madre-falls has a secret laboratory which holds something for us."

Ada half closed her eyes and took a sip. _Figures._ The need to roll her eyes heavenward was great, but her face remained impassive.

"The governments always have these secret laboratories everywhere. I'm learning just how many the governments all over the world planted are actually out there." She said with a bit of acid.

Wesker picked up the capsule Ada had given him earlier. "This little important piece is what you'll need on the way there."

_He trusts me more and more each day. Good. _She could hardly contain her pessimism of the whole affair.

"Give this to the head scientist there. He'll be able to give you information in exchange."

"Exchange for what?"

"A serum made from the extracts of plants. And some botanical plants which are important for you to retrieve. That's all you need to know for now. I'll give you more details when you get there, and in fact I'll be monitoring your movements once you arrive. The chopper will meet you at the same point where you left on the previous mission."

Ada nearly rolled her eyes. _When has he ever not monitored her movements? _

"Will I be bumping into any irregularities?" She said, watching him carefully.

"Just the usual. You are quite capable of taking care of _those."_

He had donned on his dark silk shirt, his attention at the screen. Leaning back, he moved his chair towards the left screen. "Look there."

Her eyes went to the first panel to his left. "The peninsula – Madre falls. You see the black dot and red dots I've placed there."

Nodding, Ada walked forward, saw the ten dots of red, and one dot that was specifically black. The blotted dot was inland. "Laboratory?"

"As a matter of fact, no. It's the gate between the two areas. See the small bent line across the peninsula?"

"Like east and west."

"The amounts of red dots are even on both sides. Your mission on the way is to get to this area."

He pointed to the east side of Madre-falls. "There you will meet up with the head scientist."

"Does he have a name."

"He goes by the name O'Neil." He turned around, facing her and with a possessiveness he had, he reached for. She had willingly dropped onto his lap. _What does he want now? He's usually done with one round_.

But before she could protest to say that she had to get going, he clamped his hand around her wrist, pulling her closer to him.

It was a few hours before she went to the landing zone where the helicopter was situated.

Her silver attaché case contained the serum along with a few weapons. The wind had picked up when the chopper's blades started turning. Her hair whipped around her face and she was wearing her military black pants and a bullet proof vest and dark tight sweater underneath.

Wesker from his office watched Ada get inside the chopper. He couldnt know what went on her thoughts at the time.

She had to get this over with and then afterward, she'd cut off any communication from Wesker for a few days. He was asking quite a bit from her, but then again, she didn't object. After all, something could come out of this.

Touching his lean masculine fingers together, he leaned back casually. A pleasant smile graced his lips as he moved his leg over to rest his ankle over his knee.


	3. Madre Falls

**iii.a.**

* * *

Wesker watched as the chopper took off, not really worried that she'd get to her objective; she was efficient and a good commodity; a talented, resourceful woman, and not to mention _stimulating_. How could he forget what she did six years ago that even he – a cold hearted calculated scientist and professional killer could only admire, and at the same time, be intrigued at? 

Ada Wong died for Leon, and if he was any good judge of character, he'd know for sure that she'd never let anything happen to that former raccoon city officer. When he had ordered her to eliminate Leon, she didn't look happy. It was a test. His patience was wearing thin and ordered Krauser to take care of Leon, and if that didn't work – well; then, he'd have to find out more about the Agent and Ada's relationship.

Krauser had informed him that the two were chummy; the American soldier kept in touch, reported everything he saw through out his progress. Procuring the President's daughter, Krauser was undoubtedly a good soldier. Following orders is what he's good at. Ada, on the other hand, was quite different.

Still, despite her deception, he would use her for his benefit, in every way. She was one step closer to the organization that would take his achievements down the drain. _Well not if he had anything to do with it._ With that irritating thought, his lips drew a grim line and looked at the screen where Ada sat in there, relaxed, the wind cutting through the open doors of the chopper blew her raven hair away from her face. The way she looked serene and dutiful; it defies all logic to see her in action - with a deadly precision to cut down her enemies. She took on Krauser, which was a feat in itself and was able to infiltrate through an entire island full of _Ganados_ and had faced Saddler.

Annoyed that Wesker strayed too far on the screen, he turned off the image; sheathing the elegant semi-darkness of his office into the cover of midnight. Adjusting his eyes to the dark, it was quick and easy, as the feline eyes he now owned possessed night-vision. His body had been honed and mutated to adjust to his human chromosomes, giving him the greater advantage of a predatory cat's stamina and strength.

Glancing over at the time, he would have enough time to walk over to his laboratory in the basement of the building, and check over a few things. Then he'll be able to see how Ada fared. Wesker got up, walked easily around his office in the darkness, and approached the sliding door – which opened up for him. Into the sterile hallway, featuring automatic lights that switched on as it detects heat, and aligned along the archways, Wesker paused only when a signal came on in his handset cellular.

Flipping on the PDA; a personal hand held device, Wesker's impassive expression remained immobile as a familiar face came in view. "Krauser…, I see you've made it out alive.."

"I told you that that bitch would betray the future of a new Umbrella."

"I have other plans for Ada, I don't think you have anything to concern yourself over her."

Krauser's face appeared on Wesker's receiving end; his expression hard as granite. "Wesker, I need more of that viral serum in me, my own body betrays my mind and I can't make it follow my command, as I'd like it to."

"Is that so?" Came the languid reply. "How is it that you've managed to make out alive from the destruction?" He did notice that Krauser was badly burnt; one side of his face was indistinct, and his lip curled on the other side where it wasn't touched by the contact of fire – but touched by the intense heat.

"Water, the Underground water, and led me right out of there, I barely made it but the mutation through out my body helped keep me alive. Barely."

"I see." Wesker paused. "I'll have to get back to you then on that. I am at the moment quite busy. But if you'd like, there is a quest I'd like you to embark on; Ada is there if that helps any."

"You still trust that woman? She _did _say that you and her go back a long ways."

"We do, and that's none of your concern. Why don't you help out over at Madre-falls for me? Look up a scientist named O'Neil. If you don't know where the location is, I'll send over a chopper to retrieve you at your location and will have instructions there."

"What do you want me to do about Ada?"

"Why……nothing. Not yet, anyway."

The older man cut off the connection, as he was sure Krauser would go through with his plan. It did, however, put a curve into his own plans, but nevertheless, he would make sure it would turn out as planned.

**iii.b.**

Ada watched with a kind of respectful silence at the sky, and oceans before them; it was just her and the man flying the chopper, and they both watched as the light rain stopped just before dusk. It was as if someone had flipped a switch; the clouds melted away, giving the first blanket of early evening with splashes of stars. The light had surrendered to a blue-grey night.

Slowly, as if to reveal something precious, the mantle of night slid across the plain, illuminating the shadow of the peninsula – Madre-falls was in view: a mountainous landscape filled with indigenous trees and rolling plains. She had packed another pair of clothing for the occasion; a typical military vest equipped with thick small padding that would be able to withstand most typical projectiles. Her pants and combat boots placed in a small sack next to the attaché case. After accessing what weapons she had, Ada decided that she'd only make do with a few incendiary grenades, a rifle, and her signature gun. Wesker added a TMP on the side just in case.

She smiled at that. Perhaps he was worried she wouldn't find any weapons on Madre-falls.

As the chopper landed, the flight driver turned around, "This is it. I'll be here for a few hours."

Ada nodded and took in that information. _Really? A few hours? To find O'Neil?_

"And what if I have any complications?"

"Will you?" He challenged.

She smirked, and as she got out of the chopper, Ada glanced back. "Guess not. But if I do, I'll make sure you know."

The map was in her possession and as she glanced at the landscape, she realized that the chopper had landed right on top of the laboratory. But to find O'Neil, she had to get to the east end of the isthmus.

"So what are the red dots?"


	4. The Inner Falls

**IV.**

**

* * *

**

Madre-falls from an aerial point of view looked like a phallic symbol; a stretch of land jutting out of the body of the continent with a curved masculine familiarity.

Ada smirked at that; after all, other countries like Italy looked like a boot and some were hardly discernible.

Funnily, according to the history of this man made peninsula was that it symbolized a physically patriarchal appearance, and the name ironically was matriarchal.

The evac pilot called her from inside. "Hey, it's Wesker on the satellite for you."

She walked back inside.

An automatic device pulled out in front of her: a television contraption which uses a protectorate connection managed to bleep on, revealing Wesker's face on the screen.

His wicked smile stared back at her. "Punctual. I like that a lot." Yes, he's told her this many times. And each time was a compliment from his end.

She nodded her head in acknowledgement. _That's why you need me_. _Hard to find good help these days, I bet. _

"There's been a change of plans. Krauser is alive."

"Oh really?" She raised a dark brow. "Must be that arm of his, or the virus in him. Really, Wesker, he's invulnerable to fire isn't he? Like yourself."

Ada wasn't happy at all with this bit of news. Krauser was a big sore in the butt if anything. With him alive, the big American soldier only had to rattle off his mouth about her intervention. Although, she wasn't completely worried, because instinctively, there was something about the way Wesker kept her on a noose. It was his way of holding power over her – just like he held her body in possession at his will. But she knew that he couldn't afford to lose her. She was always of use to him, outside and inside his private life.

She didn't want to reveal anything else to Wesker. That would be stupid, but Ada knew about Krauser and how he was recruited into Wesker's plans.

"He's on his way over. I've decided that he would be the one to look up Dr. O'Neil, and you, you're going to have to postpone that little vacation. It's impertinent that you do."

_Do I have a choice?_ Ada was incensed. Leave it to him to change the plans to suit _his _needs. She had to get back to the Organization. No matter. She'll just have to send them a message soon.

"The red dots on the map, Ada. They're all separate pieces of one item. In that location, you'll find more underground laboratories and interesting developments."

"Such as?"

"Remember I said there is an outbreak there?"

She looked around the area outside the chopper and found nothing out of the ordinary, but she was sure that there would be plenty of whatever it is that hung out below the ground. Because Madre-falls was a haven for new technological developments and experiments, the private governments had sanctioned and funded some of these 'experiments' underground. The upper levels of Madre-falls held many hills and waterfalls. When the amenities had developed the man made cape, it was supposed to be a place for a botanical haven. The plans, however, were changed.

"Nothing like Las Plagas is it?"

"No. But there is a virus, not detectable in animals, that changes the dna of a human. Mind you, some humans. It seems to affect a human when they've lingered too long on the isthmus."

"Then I take it I should be out of here in a few hours tops. Is Dr. O'Neil infected?"

"I assume that he is. Retrieve the botanical specimens in the laboratory. O'Neil will be taken care of by Krauser."

"Which reminds, any specific plants that you want me to pick up, Wesker?"

"Use your knowledge of plants; I trust you will be able to."

The screen clicked off.

"Great." Ada whispered. "Like I took botany and herbology." Actually, she did take some classes, but it wasn't as if it they her favorite pastimes.

She walked out of the chopper and decided to start with the laboratory underneath her.

On the other end of the globe, Wesker sat back. With languid ease, he folded one leg over his knee, setting his ankle on the edge of his lap. His lean masculine fingers touched his jaw. Thinking about the situation, he wasn't entirely sure about this. His instincts told him that not everything would go as planned. Krauser into the scene should help, but instead it only made him worry. And worry is not something he liked to feel. From the last mission Krauser and Ada took, he could see from his vantage point that his female international spy and the American soldier had gone against each other in combat. Krauser is an efficient and loyal servant, a good soldier, but one could never depend on strength and loyalty alone. Knowing Ada a long time taught him quite a bit. He never regretted the day he saved her life.

_He had to save her. _

He sat there for a moment longer then got up. As he walked up to a wall, he pressed a panel on the side, allowing the wall itself to slide open. This opened up a glass display of weapons. His type of weapons: Magnum .45, that packs a powerful punch, a semi-automatic rifle without the scope, along with few grenades of all sorts, and his silencer.

Taking them out and placing them in his case, he picked out another dark suit, with an amber shirt. Underneath, a bullet proof vest protected him. Most bullets wouldn't faze him but he didn't want to take any chances. He called up his evac chopper to meet him up on the roof of the building.

Back in Madre-falls, Ada climbed down a metal ladder that was attached to the side of the hill. When she got to the bottom, the area was filled with vegetation. And she could hear water bubbling as if there were a million little brooks within the density of the flora.

Next to the ladder there was a heavy metal door with a wheel for a doorknob. She turned it and it didn't budge. There was a small device that allowed her to piece out the puzzle of alternating red, green, yellow and blue colors. The arrows indicated that the colors had to be matched, so she pressed the correct systemized sequences.

The wheel turned on its own and opened up the door.

When she walked through, there appeared to be a tunnel before her. Her heels created strident noises, echoing against the chamber. With her weapon in her hand, the rifle, she had to place her light attached to it to guide her way through. The gloom that greeted her was perplexing. While it was bright and sunny outside with a kind of happy-fake paradise, below was dark, damp, and teeming with moss and fungi. These clung to the curved concrete walls of the channel. Stealthily, she walked up to a door, which was obscured partly by the moss and heard a steady heavy breathing from the other side. Reaching for the handle, she turned it. Her eyes met with the darkness inside.

With her rifle, the light pitched into the room. This met her with the usual laboratory that one finds; with computers still online, glass cases now smudged with dust, and a collection of cultivated plants from all parts of the world. She assumed this is part of the experimentation in plant breeding and hybridization. Ada looked around for a switch and as she found it, the overhead fluorescent lights above flickered on. That's odd, she mused. LED-based lighting systems were more suitable for plants Illumination, but then again, this wasn't a greenhouse.

A glass broke behind her. She turned immediately, her rifle steady in her hands.

* * *

-- 


	5. Pleased to Meet You

The vines from a large potted plant which sat in the corner of the lab snapped viciously towards her. Ada stepped back quickly; she scarcely avoided another attack. As she somersaulted in the wide space of the room, the wiry vines whipped out in a random fashion. One caught her ankle as she landed. Without hesitation, she reached for her knife, but the next vine wrapped itself around her wrist; this caused her to yell out from the sharp pain as the vines itself had small little porcupine needles.

She retrieved her flash grenade and threw it. It exploded with a harsh white flare and the attacking plant's human scream surprised her. The vines folded and retreated right back into the large pot.

Taking a deep breath, she wasn't quite sure what to think of all this. Now caretaking her wrist and ankle with immediate first aid ready kit she packed, it wasn't enough if she was going to encounter more of these things.

"I'm so sorry about that…" said a timid voice in the next room.

Turning, Ada whipped out her gun in that direction. "Who's there?"

The man in the shadows held up his hands for her to see. "I'm Dr. O'Neil. Please don't shoot."

Ada wasn't about to trust him just yet. "Really? And just how do I know you're the doctor?"

He stepped out into the light; a man no longer a man stood before her. The doctor's face and hands were covered with spiky thorns, but the female assassin could still see his puffy eyes obscured by all the small spikes jutting out of his features.

"Looks like you've had a bad day." Ada casually remarked, then bit her lip. She figured Dr. O'Neil wouldn't appreciate the pun. She looked at his laboratory coat, noting the name tag there. It said his name; it still didn't satisfy her. She checked into her PDA for O'Neil's file. At the click of a button, the face of the doctor appeared solemn with dark rimmed glasses. An average looking man, average height, average built so she still couldn't decipher how to trust him just yet.

"Would you care for a blood sample?" He noted her wariness, "I could provide you with evidence of my DNA."

He gestured to the counter table where there's still proper equipment to take samples; just the simple method of pricking one's finger and setting it on a glass template.

"I believe you." She lowered her gun. Instinct told her this isthe doctor. "I thought you were supposed to be at another location."

"I was." He paused and looked down at his hands.

It must be hard for him to touch anything, she thought, observing his distress.

"Listen, there's an American mediator who is going to come pick you up. I'm here just to pick up some samples and to give you this." She reached into her pocket to retrieve the blue vial sample Wesker told her to give to him.

Dr. O'Neil stared at it. "Oh god. The reversal serum." He started to reach for it but held his hand away. "Could you put it on the counter?" He asked politely. "I may prick you and there may be some poisonous effects from it." As Ada started, he stopped her.

"Wait. Could you put the contents in that metal beaker?"

Ada knew that the doctor would have a hard time holding on the capsule without cracking it to pieces so she complied. As she set the beaker down, he took it with shaking hands and proceeded to drink from the contents.

When he finished, he sighed heavily. "I was informed that I'm to give you some plants for observation."

"Yes. As a matter of fact, you're going to make my job easier."

"How so?"

"Well, you're here. I didn't have to go find you, and the sooner I get out of this place, the better. But…." She paused. "Is everyone in this facility infected like you?"

"Not that I know of…" he sounded unsure.

"What about that plant that attacked me?"

"Oh that…" he giggled. "That's just Charlie. He doesn't like visitors."

Ada blinked. "Alright…." Something was definitely weird here, and she wasn't going to get in the middle of it right now. "I just killed Charlie, I guess."

"Oh no…you didn't. He's nursing his wounds right now in that pot. That's his home you see."

"Dr. O'Neil. I don't know what's going on, but if you don't mind?" She raised her brow and gestured towards the row of plants that were displayed on the thick glass cases.

"Yes, that. You want some rare plants. Okay, I suppose, but there's a problem."

"I can hardly guess." She reached towards her weapon slowly; something told her that Dr. O'Neil isn't really himself.

"There's no need for you to attack me, young lady. I can't get them you see." He lifted his spiky hands.

"How long does the reversal serum work?"

"Soon."

He walked towards the glass cases and took the metal prongs that lay there. He tried to pick up some of the leaves of the green and red plants. "You'll see that some of these need to be flattened and extracted."

"I have a little bit of experience if you need me to take care of it."

"Ah…a lovely lady with so many talents. Tell me, are you and Mr. Albert Wesker affiliated closely?"

"We work together…that's all." She didn't like the way he started to ask personal questions.

"I've been trying to get Albert to date my daughter." He giggled as he placed the seeds from the plant in a jar.

Ada said nothing.

"You know how to use solvents for the plants? I suppose Albert has his very well provided laboratory."

"I"ve never really went in his laboratory, Dr. O'Neil. It isn't exactly my specialty; becoming a scientist wasn't my prime career."

"But your boyfriends are always in the same field."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I never gave my name. You must obviously know me and…..John."

Her eyes shadowed for a moment. She could still remember John, who loved her so much that he even used her name as his password.

Her PDA beeped. She reached for it and Wesker came into view – the reception is bad underground.

"You've found Dr. O'Neil, I presume?"

"He's right here."

Dr. O'Neil turned slowly around. "Ah, Albert. Beautiful girlfriend you have here."

Ada looked up. She was about to say that Wesker is definitely not her boyfriend, but Wesker cut her off. " Ada, I'm on my way over there. I just want to warn you to be careful of O'Neil. Because he's infected, he isn't quite himself."

"Gee, I didn't realize that." She said sarcastically. "So why do you need to come over? You've got me here and Krauser's on his way."

"Krauser is to pick up O'Neil soon. He's on the premises now. You may want to get going with the plant samples O'Neil has for you and come up to meet me."

Ada was suspicious. "What's going on, Wesker?"

"Change of plans. I'll wait for your arrival in 10 minutes. Hurry up."

The screen clicked off. Ada gritted her teeth. That's just like Wesker to do that. But it's strange that he changed plans suddenly. He usually doesn't do that unless it benefited him somehow.

She looked up at O'Neil. "I need those fast. Just place them in the plastic container and I'll be on my way."


	6. The Soldier's Skill

VI

_Jack's back & Ada's in deep_

_-6-

* * *

_

"But why?" The scientist whined, causing Ada to wonder about the infection. In all probability, this must have changed his personality, but then again, some guys were like that. Strange and creepy.

He continued as he watched her wary eyes. "I like having company. I don't get any around here….everyone has turned like Charlie there." Dr. O'Neil said wistfully, his infected face gestured towards the heavy potted plant.

Ada's eyes fastened on the large potted plant, which was just full disturbed soil. _No wonder she heard a human scream. _

"I take it that's one of the unfortunate scientists?"

"No," he giggled. "Charlie's my assistant. A former student from an American University. Needless to say, he was willing to stay on and help me with my experiment."

Ada narrowed her eyes. "A student? Don't you think his family would be missing him?" _What was she thinking?_ It's not like she cared for all that. She's got to get those rare plant specimens or there would be hell to pay with Wesker. She could almost hear his chopper from a distance.

"Just give me the samples, Dr.O'Neil. As you heard, Wesker's on his way."

"Ah yes." Then he giggled again. "Okay, um, well help yourself while I get these prepared."

She looked at his hands. They appeared to have a difficult time trying to hold on to things.

"I'm just waiting for the serum to take effect." He sighed then a giggle burst forth from his painful looking lips.

"Krauser should be here any minute. I'll just take these…." She walked over, her eyes were wary and kept her senses alert for anything. Taking the rare botanical plants, Ada popped them into the plastic container.

"Give my regards to Wesker. Tell him I'll be staying here awhile longer until the serum transforms me back to how I was."

She walked towards the door and Dr. O'Neil made her pause with his next comment. "My daughter was supposed to marry Albert. It was all arranged. But he would have none of it. Not even to date her. Wouldn't give her the time of day."

His voice was wistful again.

She half turned her head, her hand on the door knob. "Wesker's not the romantic type for flowers and chocolates, Dr. O'Neil. Haven't you figured that out just by being in his company for an hour?"

He didn't seem to acknowledge her words as he continued in his lost thoughts, revealing more information to her about his connected past with Wesker.

"We worked together in the past, back in the University. He was my student. Very bright young man. A genius, but he had a huge flaw. I thought he would make a wonderful son-in-law." The seriousness in his voice would have caused Ada to believe in that faith he once had, but soon changed her mind when he giggled again.

"Don't put all your hopes in a man like Wesker, Dr. O'Neil. You'll only break your daughter's heart."

"And you, Miss Wong? Has your heart ever been broken?"

She snorted. "I don't get my feelings involved in those mundane predicaments. In my line of work, falling in love is an extravagance I can't have."

Now it was her turn to sound wistful. It irritated her and she pulled open the door.

"Mind your step, young lady." Dr. O'Neil echoed softly in the background.

Ada's eyes widened at the face she saw there before her. A malicious grin confronted her before he whispered. "Going somewhere, traitor?"

She didn't even have time to react as the proximity of her attacker barred her from anything she would have attempted. What met her was a stab underneath her ribs, a large knife slid through her, soaking her entire front.

Her eyes glazed over momentarily from the shock, and all her muscles along her shoulders and arms stiffened. _She had to do something_. With all her strength she kicked upward with her combat boots against the attacker's chest.

Krauser cried out loud as he was pushed back, stepping a few feet away. Ada quickly procured a special herbal remedy from her already stained midsection, the plant there soaked with her blood. She popped the piece in her mouth and chewed. She felt her body start to heal.

Just before Krauser went back to his former position, Ada already had her gun positioned at his forehead.

"Nice try, but no cigar." She gritted her teeth, but it was more from the pain through out her body, as the muscles tightened and ached from the stab wound. The effects of the healing now spreading in slow degrees.

He grinned then chuckled, his scarred face now appeared partially burned. He was worse off before, she thought, but now he's turning into a mass of fleshy scars. Her eyes roamed up and down his physique. Krauser appeared to be healthy enough despite the outward disfigurement.

The broad shoulders and bulky muscles seem to have protected him, but Ada was sure it was more connected to his arm that saved his life. Again.

"I told you if you tried anything funny, I'd kill you." He sneered viciously, a harsh expression on his face. The cold light eyes were sharp as he noted that she was healed back fast.

"Got one of those remedies that Wesker gave you huh?"

"Your job is to procure the Dr., Krauser, so what we both have to do is set aside our differences, unfortunately, for another time."

He lifted his chin, and a disapproving snort answered her. "Going to go up to meet Wesker? You his little bitch? In heat?"

The last comment made her narrow her eyes, then she countered back:

"Not so much as you're his expendable grunt." She wickedly smiled; her eyes alight with a roguish glint.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh yeah? We'll see when he confronts you with what you've done to him, to the future of Umbrella."

They stood there a moment longer staring at one another. The female international spy who took him down right after his confrontation with her lover Leon, but Krauser was sure that although she obviously had a soft spot for the American hero, she answered to Wesker's call.

He considered for a moment to fight with her, but Wesker had specifically ordered him to get the doctor for a trade in with another organization. Those were his instructions and as a good soldier, he would follow them. Compensation would come later when the new Umbrella birthed. He could hardly wait. Wesker was the only man who could pursue that, as that he had the _means _and all the procured samples. While he, despite the fact that he was an expert in military operations, he was _**no**_ scientist.

Wesker **is** the Renaissance man, someone who was skilled in bio-engineering, martial arts, and combat. Krauser knew that Wesker's proficiency in the fields of science, research, observation, biology, virology, evolution were way above his own limited knowledge. He was after all just a military soldier skilled in combat, weapons, tactics and following orders. But he didn't mind, as long as he got what he wanted.

She saw that he hesitated._ Good_, she mused. _Jack Krauser knew when was foolish or not. Not always anyway_.

"Move aside!" Krauser growled, and with his large arm pushed the woman forcefully aside, sending her against a wall with a loud thud.

As he walked inside the room, he half turned to look at her. "I did tell Wesker about your little game. Knowing Wesker, he'll do something about you and your deception."

Then he heard Dr. O'Neil squeal. "Watch out! Charlie doesn't like visitors."

The door closed behind him, she knew that Krauser was going to be busy for a few minutes. Ada pushed herself up and patted her uniform to find to her relief that the rare samples were still intact. She had to hurry to the evac chopper. As punctuality was her strong point.

As she reached to the top, Wesker's chopper had already landed on the other side of the small ravine. He sat there quietly in the shadows of his evac chopper. She could see the masculine lean fingers; the strength of now gloved hands folded together; a sign that he remained calm. The man in the shadows turned his head to look at her, the sunglasses obscured his eyes, and she supposed that he was either angry or impatient.

She was wrong on both counts.

He had waited for her to reach her. It didn't take her long.

"Wesker." She breathed. "I had a slight delay, but I have everything."

"You're on time as usual." He lazily replied, telling her that he wasn't in the slight bit surprised at her punctuality. He liked it _very much_, and his grin told her just that as he reached out with his dark gloved hand to take the samples.

"Get in. We're going back together to my laboratory."

The command was brisk and she blanched. "Wesker, I suppose I should postpone my vacation?"

She sat silently next to him. His helicopter though bigger than hers, possessed the most luxurious and up to date extra unneeded amenities. But Wesker liked to ride in style. He chuckled as he studied the samples. "Not this time. I was going to allow you to go ahead and take what you've stolen from me to your private organization, but decided against it."

Ada gasped, almost inaudibly.

"We'll discuss this privately." He said, as he made a nod towards the evac pilot.

Back at his laboratory, he immediately switched on the electricity, and the lighting system created a domino effect – lines of stream lined expensive lighting fused through out.

"Dr. O'Neil will be taken care of. I have plans for him. But you're to go back later on Madre-falls; there are plants there that need to be procured. But this time, they're not rare samples that you got here."

He lifted the samples in the light and donned his white laboratory coat. Gesturing over to the extra lab coats, he gestured towards them. "Come over here."

"There's a reason why you brought me here, Wesker. And it's not to study the rare plants to create a serum, or to extract anything….well, you want to extract information." Dare she say it? "From me."

"As a matter of fact…..now that you have my full attention," He leaned back against the counter, his arms folded.

Ada wasn't going to play cat and mouse with him this time. Not the right time. "About me and Krauser."

"It's not about you and Krauser." He hissed viciously. Then with languid ease, pushed himself off the counter and stood up.

As he walked towards her……she noted that he had taken off one glove, so that she could see the whites of his knuckles as he clenched his hand.

"It's all about Leon!" The confession ripped out of him, he could barely stand it, as his usual controlled anger burst through.

Her eyes widened. "That's none of your business."

"Your feelings for him never went did it? Not even six years could do that….not even our 'relationship' could change that...……." The whisper was deadly, threatening, and she could feel his eyes burn her.

"What we have, Wesker, is a physical thing, nothing more. You know that better than me."

"I should have you killed…." Wesker's lethal low growl silenced her. "Better yet, I should have killed you myself. Why have an expendable grunt do the job when I can do it?"

His hands were clenched and she could see a muscle move spasmodically in his throat. She figured it was taking all his will power not to slam her against the wall.

"Then why don't you?" She challenged boldly, not sure why she said it. But she wasn't going to take this from him. Ada had studied his moves, and she's sure that he had studied hers over time. Overall, he had the advantage because he had time to sit back and watch how she worked. While she, she had to do all the infiltrative work and spy for him. Not that he didn't do any of that, but he took more of his time in his laboratory, studying the moves of all his enemies.

Wesker never had any friends. He had more enemies than anyone she knew.

The closest relationship he ever had with people was with her and Birkin. Although, as he worked with Birkin, Birkin had his own agenda away from Wesker and shared many of his secrets with his soon to be wife, Annette. Wesker remained outside of everyone, always suspicious of everything around him. This also caused him to distrust people, _except_ for Ada. It was his dark secret that even _he_ was hard pressed to admit to himself.

Time and time again, she betrayed Wesker, showing signs of affection to Leon on an earlier mission. Giving away data to other pharmaceutical companies and time again, he'd taken her back in his confidence. Still, Ada's mind was her own even when her body responded violently to his manipulative touch.

He silently calmed himself, slowly reached over to his sunglasses and took them off. The startling predatory cat-eyes had always fascinated her. They reminded her of all those rare gems she had to find along the way in all her missions. His eyes could very well cost a fortune.

"Do you really want that, Ada?"

"I know you'd eventually overpower me." She said, her chin rose to the confrontation, and she was damned if she was going to put up with his inexplicable antagonism.

Just then, he chuckled darkly, displaying an enigmatic expression and mannerism while his cat-eyes watched her every move.

"Very wise. That's another reason why I kept you. Blunt. You never bore me."

"I aim to please." She responded casually, but her body was tense. Wesker could kill her if she wasn't careful. She had betrayed him and gone against him on many occasions. In his eyes, that was enough.

"Why don't we put it to the test, Ada……you've fought Krauser, and you've even had the opportunity to confront certain bosses on your missions. I trust you'll give me a thrashing that I so rightly deserve." He replied with a silken tenor.

"Jealous that I chose to fight Krauser and not you?" She lowered her lids, a slight smile on her full lips.

Wesker chose to ignore that remark, and instead his feral eyes heedlessly roamed her body. "Come here." He suddenly commanded as his hand lifted up; his index finger gestured her over to him.

"No." This time she was not going to go to him.

This amused him. A feral smile replaced his slight surprise. "Then, in that case, Miss Wong, I'll come to you."

Without his sunglasses, Wesker's face was one of leashed sensuality and there was an arrogant mature handsomeness that she was hard pressed not to notice; his sculpted hard mouth and striking eyes combined could undo a weaker woman.

She was after first and foremost, a trained assassin.

In a strident forceful move, he pushed her up against a wall, and she moved barely in time to try and get away. _How could she be so stupid? _A cry of pain released from her lips as he uttered a deadly smooth whisper; his breath caressed against her ears.

"Try not and test my patience, Miss Wong. I don't like it when ingratitude is given back to me."

She kneed him then, as hard as she can, but he only flinched slightly and pulled back. Ada didn't want to feel his body too close, as this was dangerous territory. Her familiarity with his touch only sent her senses ablaze.

He was breathing heavily but not from any exertion. His predatory eyes roamed her face. "What's the matter, lovely Ada?" A silky drawl. His hand pressed up against the wall next to her head, he leaned down; a grin on his face showed her that he was quite frankly enjoying this.

As the strength of his body pushed against hers in a surprisingly soft motion, this created a longing sensation deep within her gut. She hated that feeling, because she knew, she knew deep down this was wrong. Everything with Wesker was _wrong._ Everything she had felt with Leon was beautiful, sad, poignant and _right_.

So why was she turning her head, her lips pressed against his, opening her mouth to welcome the thrusting of her antagonist's tongue?

A soft growl escaped from deep within him; it was his lustful predatory growl. She answered back not with tentative movements, but a fierceness she was capable of.

A multitude of confused emotions ran through her mind, trying vainly to push away those questions that needed to be answered.

She had said to herself as his hands roamed possessively over her body that she would never get physical with anyone again, not after John. She had used John…..just like she wanted to use Wesker……..yet why was she sobbing into his deadly arms as he traced his hot tongue down the column of her exposed throat? She felt more alive in the dead body she owned. Every fiber of her being continued to rage against such explicit ministration, but she could feel her own hips meeting his in the enclosure of her entrapment.

A small aching thought stabbed through her for a moment as she slid her hands down his pants. A tiny flicker of regret, of a man she would always love, but couldn't be with….just yet.

The name was lost on the last residue of her sanity as she pushed Wesker down.

_Leon_


	7. It's all about the Sex

He growled softly in her ear. "Not here."

Wesker lifted her up easily in his arms and walked along the dark corridor to find themselves in front of his room. He pushed the door open with his boot. As he approached the bed, she slid seductively off of him, landing on the mattress.

Making love with Wesker was nothing short of perilous. Deep down, Ada wasn't foolish to think otherwise. Yet, as she had traced her tongue down the hard planes of his chest, her mind divorced herself from her emotions.

It wasn't about falling in love, or anything to do with flowers and chocolates. Those same words were said to Dr.O'Neil; the echo warning of Wesker's involvement with anyone, especially one who is dear to them.

She didn't really have a past – she was who she was: Ada Wong, an international spy and skilled assassin. Trained early to retrieve an important sample from the love struck Researcher named John. She didn't love John. She didn't think she loved anyone. And the feelings she felt for Leon…..it was deep affection, it was different and more innocent and alive than anything she's ever known. For so long she thought it may have been love. She wasn't so sure _now_.

But here, right this moment as she descended on the man beneath her – listening to his low groans, his heavy short pants, mixed with hers, she could only feel what her body wanted.

Wesker had the ability to fuck with her moods.

He pulled her down with his hands around the small of her waist. Wesker was rough but he was surprisingly soft at times. The sound of their fucking was intense and so much so that she was filled with sweat. His hands kneaded her soft firm breasts, only to find them replaced with his mouth – she gasped from the hot contact.

As her arms wound around his blond head, she wanted him closer to her, as if she couldn't get enough. With the heat of his tongue gliding all over her body, she did the unthinkable. She pulled out. He grunted in disappointment.

Reaching down, Ada's expert hands sheathed his hard length. "I want to taste you……"

She couldn't see his expression in the semi-darkness, but she knew he was willing to do anything she may desire. If she was a more devious woman she would have used this opportunity to get back at him, but _she wasn't_. In all honestly, the need and want to make Wesker feel happy was her focal point. She had wanted him to be sad, angry, frustrated, thwarted, betrayed, and all those things she had already done to him….but now, she wanted him to feel that she possessed the power to make him feel _bliss._

In the aftermath, they lay there; their bodies didn't touch……the hushed sounds of steady breathing still harsh from their recently intensified fuck.

Ada spoke.

"Do you hate me, Wesker?"

"Mmmmm?"

His mumble in the semi-darkness got lost as he shifted, the sheets rustled in the silence.

"You obviously find me somewhat appealing." She tried again.

"You do have your uses."

She closed her eyes and a smile broke out on her face. Her body felt flushed, hot and fulfilled. She would have countered something snarky to him for that remark, but bit her tongue.

Languidly, she shuffled a little, rolled her head over to breathe the scent on the pillows. The smell of a predatory cat: feral, dangerous and musky. He reminded her of a beautiful tiger, or a cougar – one of the rare breeds.

"Why am I not surprised?" she finally said.

"I'm not a dim-witted fool in these matters, Ada. I know you care for Leon. I've known for years. Only a daft man with blind love for his woman would so think that you'd change your feelings."

Now she was really surprised. She turned her head; her eyes had already adjusted to the shadows.

He continued. " Leon is nothing like me. He's a pawn in a world that believes in heroes and white knights."

"He's good. And if the world needs more of them, then so be it."

His laughter was dark as his soul. "The government is using his skills right now, my butterfly. Leon is nothing more than an expendable agent who happens to have access to the Raccoon city incident."

Pushing herself up, the soft thin sheet slid off, revealing her body. She could swear that he could see in the dark. It was never said what powers he had behind those cat-eyes, but she knew better.

"Wesker, they wouldn't have sent just anyone to save the President's daughter."

"Really? They knew about you and me, and everything else. The government has access to many things. His mission would have failed if you hadn't interfered, that's for sure."

She wanted to change the subject. "What of Krauser?"

"What of him?"

"Where is he taking Dr.O'Neil?"

"Dr.O"Neil is an old friend of mine. One could say he was like a father figure. Daft old man kept throwing his daughter at me."

She waited to listen for more.

He reached for her. "I was beginning to worry." The tone of his voice softened, "Dr.O"Neil is unstable. I found that the small outbreak there wasn't what I was expecting. Having Krauser on the scene only could make it worse or better. I didn't have any qualms about you nor him receiving that infection."

"We weren't there long enough."

"You're to return later."

"So you just brought me here to have sex?"

He chuckled. "Don't presume that I 'need' this from you, Ada. I enjoy what we have physically, and I enjoy everything about you, despite your betrayal."

"Like two peas in a pod." She replied with cynicism.

Wesker ran his hand along the curve of her body.

"That's it, Ada, we never fall in love. Rule number one in our line of business……."

But he was ignoring the obvious point.

"I have to go."

She started to get up.

He reached for her again, this time, his arms wound around her waist from behind. "Will you betray me again, Ada?"

This startled her. It was the most intimate question she had ever felt coming from him.

John, her former boyfriend died because of her. Or so she thought. At first, guilt seeped into her mind, but she knew better. John was a researcher working for a company against her own agenda. Pretending to love John was one thing, but she would not carry anyone's guilt, or feel regret when it came to Umbrella and the Organization. She didn't deserve Leon's love. She felt that after her past, her line of work and the way she pursued her ambition, love was something she didn't deserve. What she needed was Wesker. He wouldn't love her back, yet to her satisfaction, she found that he _needed_ her and for whatever reasons, they're there to stay.

"Why do you put your trust in me?" She could hear her voice catch.

"You're my commodity." He had planted his lips alongside the column of her neck. She moaned as his hands reached up to cup her breasts.

If there's one thing she knew about Wesker, it was that he was honest with what he thought of people.

She could stand his fury, but she couldn't stand this….it melted her. Being a trained assassin and international spy should have made her hard edged. This is one reason why he wanted her.

"Please…."

"Please what…?" He whispered harshly, "Please fuck me? Is that what you want?"

Wesker didn't often curse, it was inelegant, but it turned her on in this setting…..

"No…" she gasped, his hard length pressed against the curve of her back. He was ready to go again.

His silky drawl felt like satin along her sensitive skin. "If you betray me again……I can't promise you that I'll be as forgiving as the last time."

There was a sense of urgency in his voice.

Even as she was sent down among the sheets, his body atop hers, parting her long legs, she could only reflect that she can't promise she won't betray him again.

She had an objective...her future depended on it.


	8. An American Among them

_a/n: more plot story/introspection in this chapter, sorry no sexy scenes this time._

* * *

In the enclosed loculus, the American soldier contemplated the doctor; he had waited for Dr.O'Neil to heal to his former state. Patience isn't one of Krauser's virtues, and fighting against one of the doctor's 'friends' awhile ago only incensed him further. His body had been badly wounded from the explosion, not to mention the previous battles he had with Leon and Ada. The thought of it still ate at him. Still, because of his arm, the healing factor started to kick in. This did not however heal his physical appearance. The side of his face still scarred from the burns seems to pulse, reddening his arms and torso which were marked with cuts and battle wounds. 

Now, as they were taking the route to the top by way of elevator in the small space, Krauser narrowed his eyes as he glared at the doctor. "Looks like that serum isn't working too well."

"I've been severely neglected, I suppose." His reply was accompanied with a deep sigh.

"So now I'm to be an experiment for Wesker's benefit, is it now?"

"Don't know…don't care." Krauser's gravelly and bored response should have shut the doc up, but...

"What is your agenda, may I ask?"

"I'm not one for chit chat." He folded his arms over his large chest and as the elevator reached the slow climb, it stopped. They waited until the metal door opened.

They had to take the elevator as the former way up where Ada had taken was now blockaded. The security systems in the facilities locked down for unidentified reasons, and the doctor had suggested that perhaps it was the fact that Krauser's unidentified presence on the premises caused it.

Krauser didn't believe it for a minute.

But the sooner they got out of there and to deposit the good doctor to one of the private facilities that Wesker instructed, the better. Maybe they'll gut him open, Krauser thought, and with that he studied the man before him.

He was worse off than him that's for sure. With sap pouring out of the doctor's pores, the exposed 'skin' was a mixture of green and brown. Yet the spikes that jutted out of the doctor's face made the eyes red and imperceptible.

Along the crepuscle of the underground facility, it was a short walk to the elevator, yet thread-like vines crept menacingly in their wake. Krauser gripped his large knife just in case he'd have to cut a few strings along the way.

"Don't worry, they won't attack you. I communicated with them. It's getting harder to, but they're usually very docile." Dr. O'Neil whispered weakly.

The doctor was a talker. He kept going on and on about Wesker and that 'daughter' of his, but Krauser ignored him. When they were in the chopper, he mumbled something about the small peninsula they were on. "Did you know? That this place was a heaven sent? The government sanctioned this area as a haven for botanical studies and research. The rarest plant species ever to have made it on this beautiful earth."

Krauser grumbled. "Alien plants huh?"

It was meant as a joke from him, but the doctor gave him a look of utter bewilderment.

"How did you know? I never thought that a big American soldier like you would possess any brains at all."

The response was a disapproving grunt. He would have knocked the doctor one, but ignored the inducement. He figured the good ole' doc was either baiting him, or just daft, and the way the plant man giggled, it had to be the latter.

Back at Wesker's laboratory, Ada took some time to look into the microscope to study the rare samples she procured. They had donned on the white lab coats, setting the plants on the glass templates.

"I don't see anything particularly interesting about these….despite the fact that they look a bit worn for wear." She said then, looking over at Wesker. "The nodes on them are quite erratic as well."

He was in front of one of the freeze dryers, a vacuum pump used for extracting moisture from sample plants. He turned half way to look at her. A wry smile touched his lips.

"Isn't it interesting, Miss Wong? The purposes of plants for the most part are used mostly to help people. Metabolize their immune systems, an antioxidant, cure disease, heal patients, and if abused, can cause the opposite effect?

She listened.

He watched her; he had placed his sunglasses back on so she couldn't see his eyes.

"What caused the mutation in Dr.O'Neil's case?"

"A combination of things." He pushed the bridge of his sunglasses up. "You are aware that during the cold acclimation, the subset of a plant's genes are activated, or turned on. And that plant vegetation thrives better in a tropical or medium atmosphere."

She didn't understand why he decided to discuss with her about these things. He automatically assumed that she would be part of his future, the expectations of his new Umbrella.

Lifting up the serum up to the light, his fingers enclosed around the long tube; it glittered with the contents inside; a colorful mix of reds and dark oranges sloshed around.

"And the isthmus? You said earlier that those who remain on the isthmus get infected, but not everyone. Yet, there is another type of breed that isn't like the ill-fated Dr.O'Neil….." She whispered. "There was a plant, or rather an attacking plant. It was actually human once."

His response was clearly derisive. "Just a subaltern being, nothing more."

"You seem to consider most people inferior. Quite charming." The reply was meant to be cynical; she was the only one who could do so.He was either amused or disgruntled. She remembered when she didn't kill Leon as was his request. She could feel the disappointment and tension even through the satellite.

He laughed deeply, "Dr.O'Neil was only able to manifest into what he is now because of his DNA, his blood type, the combination of many things." A smirk. " Ada, your job after you're done here is to go to those red dots on the map and get as much information as you can from anyone left alive."

"Excuse me." She said politely. Pulling off the laboratory coat, she went over to the coat rack to hang it.

Wesker had his back to her. "Where are you going?"

"I have something to do."

He didn't even protest as she made her way to her own room. Sometimes, she felt rather 'owned' by him, and it made her want to break out of her chains. Having no qualms about working against him, the reminder was for her future objective. But now, as each day passes, each time they make physical contact, she was inclined to fall further and further in a deep hole that she should have climbed back out long ago.

The urgency to contact the "Organization" was crucial. They haven't heard from her in awhile and would probably consider her much delayed actions as an act of betrayal. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the wall and sighed. This time, just this time, she didn't want to appear as if she was going to be disloyal to this covert organization.

No, she may have betrayed Wesker, and even made it look like she went against Leon, but no, not the 'organization.' This was her saving grace because all shall be according to plan_…. It has to_! It was her agenda before John died, and before her auspicious meeting with Leon.

She never did like hiding in the shadows.

Unfolding the small laptop, she only hesitated a moment before pressing the password. The signals should be secure even in this facility.

In the laboratory, Wesker drew out his previous reports. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but he jotted down what was found on Madre-falls. Aware of Dr.O'Neil's condition, he would no doubt see that the private sector the doctor is being sent to would be of some substantial use.

Previously, when he had worked with Birkin over the shabby woman who received large amounts of virus injections over the years, he had developed a kind of conscience. It wouldn't do. Birkin was already on the edge of no return, his weak points were his wife and child. Wesker made sure that he wouldn't go down the same path. A family man he was not.

That was why Ada was so important to him. She wouldn't demand anything of him, and she'd give back more than he hoped for. Skilled and trained not only in body, but in mind. She lacked the emotional aptitude that many insipid women possess once they've taken a liking to a man.

He saw it in Annette, the woman was obsessed with her husband and it was reciprocated. He couldn't understand what Birkin saw in the dull woman. Her procedures over lab reports and scientific experiments were always by the rule book. She never had an imaginative bone in her body. Then again, he laughed to himself, Birkin had the most jealous nature – it fueled the man. That was why he was intensely jealous of Alexia Ashford. Anyone more accomplished at an early age, gave him reason to feel the sting of envy.

It was a weakness he took note of.

He had to forgive Ada. Why not? She would always, _always_ come back to him in the end. No white knights and heroes could ever make her feel the way he does. Other women, like Claire Redfield, Jill, and the others, they would never understand him.

The self-importance of this bemused him. He told Ada long ago in the reports he sent her, the numerous letters he wrote to her, about the viruses and the experiments over the past years. Their 'affiliation' was on and off – as she sometimes took off to other missions, but they remained in constant personal contact. So private, that in the past, met over dinner in some faraway corner pueblo in Mexico, or in a cold wintry bar out in the middle of Siberia. The best locations were always at his facility, where he could have access to his bedroom.

He didn't plan on making their relationship physical. The drives and needs in him had heightened around her, as she was a desirable woman, made even more desirable because she knew his secrets.

Even when his inner conscience told him_: Never trust anyone, especially those closest to you._

He didnt even realize that his gloved hands were clenched.


	9. The Organization

Ada typed up her report. The organization, as she had presumed, kept up with her actions for the past week. Using the same satellite system Wesker used to monitor Ada and Krauser, the covert party equally supervised her activity from an aerial distance. She refused to have a personal bug attached to her person. It wouldn't do if they listened in to her more 'private' activities. Not even Wesker would demand that.

On her laptop, she typed in the password, and then sent out the short report in a secured file.

A voice on the other receiver firstly praised her for accepting the task on the man-made peninsula. The underground research was to be kept under quarantined, but found that the government hadn't been aware of the recent activities below ground.

Since Madre-falls is a sanctioned area for scientific plant research and farming, it was by an observer's standpoint, a harmonious procedural set of facilities. And unless reports are made of irregular activity they found no need to file a high security risk on the premises. Because none have reported anything out of the ordinary, Dr. O'Neil as head scientist managed to send out reports in a regulatory fashion. Consistency and steady progress accounts kept things under control.

"Miss Wong," an indistinct voice said on the other end, noting her surprise. "You're not infected, if you're worried."

"No, I didn't think so. I'm aware that those who remain on the peninsula for a longer duration _could _receive the unfortunate consequence."

"Then you do know that it is imperative that you must keep the head scientist there on the isthmus. He's not to be transported out of there."

She smirked. "I'm afraid you're too late. Our resurrected American Soldier Mr. Jack Krauser is currently with the doc. He's taking him to a facility for an intensive research. However," she continued, noting the silence on the other end. "Dr. O'Neil's condition is physically unstable, as well as mental. He is quite capable of all his intellectual abilities as a doctor from what I could see, and has taken a reversal serum of sorts to somehow change back."

"Did it?"

"I wasn't around long enough to find out."

"We received your sample as planned, and we want a full report on Wesker's activities and the doctor. As for Jack Krauser, he doesn't seem to be of any threat to the organization, as he's just a grunt following orders. Conversely, he _may_ be a threat in the future when it comes to resurrecting Wesker's new Umbrella, so it's in our best interest if you eliminate him."

"That was the plan." She replied, her honeyed voice smooth and crisp. "The only reason why I went after him was that he was after the government agent, but now, I suppose his interference could jeopardize the future of the Organization."

"Not to mention, it's highly essential to follow Wesker's moves. Thwarting his plans for the future remains on your head, Miss Wong. I trust that whatever you do in the near future shall be to our benefit?"

The connection then blurted out, cut off by the other party.

She leaned back against her chair and sighed deeply. She was going to go find the doctor again, not exactly eager to see his pretty face, but first the trip back to the peninsula.

As she made her way back to the laboratory, Wesker's business like mood returned. He didn't even bother asking what she was doing beforehand.

"Come," He briskly said. She followed him to his lavish office, and in the efficacious dimness, the satellite panoramic analysis of Madre-falls glowed in an overlay of the atlas.

"The red dots?" Ada ventured.

"Not really laboratories, but underground greenhouses. Because certain species of plants need to be secured in their own environment, they were placed separately. The government spent billions of funding on this project, and do you know why?"

She walked closer; her eyes scanned the panoramic screen. "For pharmaceutical companies? To heal the world of cancer?" She didn't mean to sound cynical, but her experiences with many scientists have put her on the edge of suspicion.

Wesker is one of those _ambitious_ scientists.

"Better. To observe how and why these rare species were able to thrive in extreme environments, and as you may perhaps have surmised, much of these rare samples are not from your average tropical forest."

"Go on."

"The projects that came from an aerospace research facility provided much of these." He looked at her then.

"You're aware of the projects that the institutes have been conducting found evidence of certain life forms found in other planets not fit for human environment?"

"Wesker, you're not suggesting?" She looked apprehensive. It was bad enough that Saddler's cult were a bunch of zealots who used 'power' and manipulation to achieve their ends, and as she stared at the man before her, she was infinitely aware of his influence.

"Suggesting what?" His dark blond brows lifted in mocking challenge. "Do tell me, Miss Wong…"

"Is this part of New Umbrella? Procuring plant specimens from uncertain life forms, stabilizing them in a locked down man made environment and expect to find positive results?"

There, she said what she wanted to say, though she couldn't come out with everything that was in her heart.

He said nothing. Just stood there and looked at her. "I had hoped you of all people would understand..." He approached her, took off his sunglasses, and she watched as he took her hand, kissed it. Then said in that bored, insulting drawl. "Tell me now. Are you in or out?"

It was a challenge.

She flinched then her eyes flew to his; her dark eyes locked on to tiger-like eyes; a numb sensation passed through her body as he continued in an infuriatingly calm tone. "What is it going to be?"

"I'm in..." The lies were piling up.

"I have hopes that you'll finally understand why I need to do this. You, of all people, would come to that understanding. You and I are not like them…."

"Them?" Ada parted her lips; she could feel her heart pounding as he drew her close. "Oh you mean like Leon and _them_…"

"Do you really think you could be part of that world, Ada?" He chuckled darkly. "Morality has little place in your heart, as in mine. Although, I confess…I do have somewhat of a conscience…"

She was aware of that. The reports Wesker sent her on the unidentified woman years ago tugged at his ethics, and since it was a secret report made from his truly, it did not mean that Birkin possessed that 'ability.'

But...she knew, she knew that they, him and Birkin, Annette and the rest who were involved, are aware of their crooked deceit.

Birkin would sell his own soul, his wife, and his daughter's soul. But Wesker? He didn't want a family. They would have been a thorn on his side, and these are luxuries for men like Wesker, for responsibility and morality are out of their reach.

_Just like her_…..she would have choked back a sob if it weren't for his lips against hers.

"I'm going to Madre-falls with you." He rasped against her lips, brought his gloved hand to cup the back of her head, gripping the dark strands there.

"Partners huh?" She was unresponsive this time, trying to control her feelings was taking an immense effort. _If only…if only…_..but she knew it was impossible. Only girls who were dreamers could even possibly think…..

"It'll cut our time in half. We'll go separate ways if you like, I'll take care of the east end and you can procure everything that is on the other side."

Abruptly, he pulled away from her. "Let's go. Time is not a luxury we have. We can't remain on the isthmus for too long."

He pulled out his attaché case, took out a rifle from underneath the lacquered curved desk, detached a scope from it and folded the weapons. Placing them inside with meticulously ease, they clicked inside in a concise fashion and then he threw her a few flash grenades. "Here. You'll need them."

She caught them in mid air. "Thanks."

Wesker pushed back his blond strands; his gloved hands set the glossy hair back in the usual style. He pulled off the lab coat and donned a dark jacket over his black long sleeved turtleneck shirt. Glancing over at Ada, he watched how her eyes took in his satellite assessment of Madre-falls.

His coolly polite voice cut into her thoughts, "And your incendiary grenades? They're not to be used under the conditions that we're going to be going into."

She shrugged, her arms folded. "And here I thought I'd indulge my pyro needs."

Later, they both reached to his evac chopper, and Ada glanced up at the dark clouds above. The sound of thunder rumbled loudly in the atmosphere. A brisk wind picked up, throwing her dark strands away from her face. Her usual attire consisted of a red dress she loved to sport around even during missions, but now was glad to be wearing a pair of black pants, her vest over a dark shirt and a belt around her waist that carried grenades and magazines.

Wesker sat back in the shadow of the chopper, watched the streak of lightning cause a bright flash across the sky, illuminating his sunglasses. Then the thunder came...since light travels faster, the bolt pierced through - it appeared to electrify the water on the ocean.

"Looks like there's going to be quite a bit of a weather as we land on Madre-falls. Perfect."

He pulled open his laptop to check the weather conditions. "As I guessed, north winds are coming in fast in the direction we are going."

Wesker called out to his evac pilot. "Hurry it up; we don't want to get caught in a small storm. Even this advanced aircraft can't hold off the wind. I'll have to call for a plane to pick us up once we're done."

"Where on earth is a plane going to land on Madre-falls?" Ada casually replied, she sat down next to Wesker in the enclosed area.

"Not to worry, things should run smoothly, if all goes as planned."

"The plants there, I've only encountered one in a pot that attacked me, I'm pretty sure there's more."

He sat there; his sunglasses obscured the expression in his eyes.

The wind picked up quite considerably when the chopper reached their destination. As the gust of wind swept up, it nudged the chopper to pitch, and the evac pilot turned around, "Mr. Wesker, I can't land! You'll have to get the ladders out and climb down!"

Wesker nodded, immediately unfolded the ladder which reached towards the bottom, but not touching.

"I'll hold it steady while you go down, Ada."

Hurrying up, the wind nearly pushed back her body, but she held on to the sides of the aircraft. Looking down, the bottom was quite a ways, and the ladder only reached within a two story depth of the landing.

As she landed, she easily pushed her body up from the inelegant fall, for the wind had started to sting at her eyes and the trees and vegetative brush swayed around them. Wesker was making his way down.

Rain began to pelt in a steady pour, wetting her dark hair and soaking her entire spy suit.

Wesker's stylish landing made Ada cock her brow at him. _Even in this weather_...He grabbed Ada by his side, "You go in that direction as the map suggests. Here."

She nodded. He looked about to kiss her but changed his mind. "I'll contact you on your PDA. This shouldn't take long since there are two of us. There are instructions on the map as well."

He turned away from her then, but stopped. "Oh yes," he said dryly, "Don't forget these." A pair of dark sunglasses were in his possession. "You lost the one you had in your previous mission. It's a small gift from me - just for emergency purposes."

She gasped, remembered how she had used her recent one to escape from Leon by avoiding the probing questions the Agent wanted to know. She just watched Wesker draw a faint smile, turned away and jumped down from the ravine.

The man made peninsula breathed with a hidden unnatural light. Beneath the lush vegetation, moss and mildew created a sensational pattern against the cold grey concrete and highly secured walls. Strange music created electrical vibrations underground and rendered some life breathing organisms to stay still. As the concerto played on, the noise penetrated the tunnels, causing the existing vines to curl up from the music and a sharp change in the turgor pressure beneath their cells throbbed.

Ada jumped down into the tunnel, remembered this area first hand when she came the first time. Then she saw _them_ in the unriant lack of light.

She watched and listened with a tentative air as the creeping vines trembled; the sound of eerie music coming from hidden speakers reached her ears. To find some kind of response from them, she snorted out honeyed reply, a smirk on well shaped lips.

"Hmmm, let's see, since plants have no ears to hear and no brain to process, I'm assuming you all were once capable of humanity once, and can understand me, is that right?"

Ada found to her assessment that they could understand with the capacity to process the human senses.

The light on her rifle wasn't sufficient enough so she lit a flare.

As the flare lit up, it illuminated the entire complex underneath and what she beheld was the veiny existence of intertwined thick branches, leaves that moved as if there was a strong wind here and eyes set in the alternating nodes of the stems.

In reply, they motioned their way towards the intruder, a sound alarm went off through out the tunnel.

Ada flipped back, avoided a thorn embedded vine trying to wrap itself around her ankle. She kicked forward as she pushed her body backward. Landing elegantly, she whipped out the flash grenade, hoping that Wesker was _right…_that these should hold them off for awhile. It did for her first encounter, though the sheer volume of what lay before was quite intimidating.

Awhile was what the flash grenade could only do. They screamed a disturbingly human wail as the flash struck the ground.

Running quickly she took the first right, spotted the metal door and tried to kick the door open.

It swung open. The first look inside revealed caged experiments of plant and dead animal parts. Closing the door securely behind her, she checked her PDA for the map. "First red dot here. Four more to go, and then…..Wesker."

Wesker who was on the other side of the isthmus ran alongside the bottom of the hilly canyon. He had the opportunity to meet one of the thriving vegetative hosts on the premises. _It_ had backhanded him from behind, which sent him rolling along down a path so that when he got up, the walking vegetable opened up its mouth and tried to eat him.

He cursed beneath his breath then, but more from being careless than anything. His fingers tipped off the clip from the grenade in his hand.

Chucking the hand grenade down its throat, Wesker backed away slowly as the yawning orifice of the standing plant folded its petals in.

It exploded, bursting violently forth from within its gut. The combination of flesh, sap and wet moss met his suit with a loud splatter. "That's _nice_." He grunted disapprovingly, pulled out what looked like a handkerchief and wiped off the offending substance. Since the rain had calmed to a light sprinkling, this managed to benefit his suit - the water fell off the expensive material as rain off a ducks back.

Now, he carried the Killer 7 securely in his hand.

Each sector where the five red dots were planted on the map held up human remains that were somehow switched to basically a mass of green gook. The inside of the underground greenhouse had a locked down security system just in case 'they' managed to escape. The security alarms then released those typical laser systems.

Wesker found a system to override them by inserting a password and encoded some of the sample he had in his possession, this thereby released the security gates, and gave him access to go in without trouble.

He sent Ada to another part, where she wouldn't have to do what he had to go through, making her job a little easier than his.

It wasn't his nature to allow anyone a better time of things than he, but then again, when this was all over, he'll make her see what the New Umbrella would bring.

Everyday brings him closer to his objective and when this mission was over, he'd send her off on that vacation he took away from her. Perhaps give her an extended trip, but he's no fool. Ada Wong may work for him; she no doubt went about on her own. Saving her life was one thing, but keeping her on a tight leash was another.

_Damn, Wesker, you're getting soft in your old age…_You'd think with how he had changed over the years, his system now possessed of the new power inside him, that he'd overcome all those human emotions.

Something nagged at the back of his mind: _Cats only have nine lives, but a butterfly is a rebirth. _

But what was the future, if there was no one there to share the glory with? He scoffed inwardly. He'd have sooner shot himself than to entertain such thoughts that did not include his associates as merely tools to his achievements.

What did he say to Ada more than once? _Thanks to you, the future of New Umbrella will chart a new world. _

Pushing aside the door to the greenhouse, he anticipated his next move.

* * *

A/N; for Krauser, he's up next chapter.


	10. Kicking Mighty fucking ASS

Krauser was fit to be tied. He clenched his teeth, and a feral growl was his answer as the security guards tried to ambush him. These guys, he figured decided they wanted to confiscate his weapons and take him along for the added experimental session.

"You got your man, I delivered, and I'm not about to be your guinea pig!"

He swung viciously around, hitting several guards in close proximity; they smashed against the wall and got smashed beneath his combat boots. Never one to take any chances, Krauser took out his flash grenades and threw them down fast. Two dozen guards screamed out from the flash bang, activating all sensory pigment in every human retina. Krauser took out his large knife and began slashing. Dr.O'Neil's very scared figure huddled in the corner, his two arms held up in front of him as if to ward off any danger.

When the threat was cleared, Krauser glanced over at the doc, and bit out, "What's the matter with you? They're after me, and 'sides it looks more like it that they'd be more in danger from you."

"Please, Mr. Krauser." He begged, "I came willingly. I had no idea this would happen. I understand that I'm to be experimented on, and thus, am obliged to help out in any way I can."

"Shut your trap." The big bulky American's patience was running thin, and the noisy sound alarms penetrated the entire complex.

"Ah damn, I gotta take you back to the chopper." This would not do at all. Did Wesker know about this? Was this a friggin' trap? He hated to think of the fact that this private organization Wesker made a deal with had obviously gone sour, or that they decided without consent that _his_ asset would come in handy.

"Listen, you can stay here all you want, but if you want to follow me and head back to the falls, then move those spiney legs, doc."

Krauser had a running speed that was faster than most humans, so Dr.O'Neil had to keep up.

Nearing the evac aircraft, Krauser's keen eye spotted a missile heading straight to his destination. It was too late to back out and run, so when it did hit its target, the explosion sent him back at least twenty feet, smashing against the doc. In the wake of the explosion, Krauser grunted, narrowed his eyes with his hand over them. He saw the black cloud of smoke billowing out up into the sky. "Fuck. Just my goddamn luck."

But a pointy and sharp large object could be felt beneath his bulky body. Looking down, he saw the doc. "Stupid doctor." He mumbled, but immediately checked to see if the doc was still breathing, setting his thick finger beneath the deformed nostrils.

"Hey, wake up! We need to find us another ride."

Dr.O"Neil was not moving. Krauser would have rather left him there to rot, but decided against it. Still, the disadvantage of picking up the doc's body with all the spiney spikey disgusting ooze coming out of him didn't deter the big American. Not one to be squeamish about anything, he hefted up the doc over his shoulder, and the sharp needles that embedded into Krauser's thick flesh made him wince a bit. Not to mention, he had just been sent back from the blast. If it weren't for the doc here to give him such a cushion, despite the hard and spikey landing, the soldier may have had to swallow up some of that herbal remedy Ada had in her possession back there.

"Come on, doc, you stink worse than me, but like it or not, we're stuck together till I get you back and settle this shit."

Krauser searched around the warehouse facility of the large complex. Wherever that missile had come from, he knew that 'they', whoever they are were on their way to retrieve them. He would be damned if they didn't receive a fight out of him. But first things first: look for a goddamn aircraft. Luckily the explosion caused a distraction, the black puffy smoke causing most humans within a half mile radius to breathe in toxic fumes and get a red eye full that would be in want of visine badly.

Since they were in close range of the aircraft hangers, he ran steadily up the concrete steps which lead him and the unconscious doc straight to a gold mine. Krauser cracked a grin. "Well, well, what do we have here?" The prospect of stealing one of these airplanes invoked a desired effect in him. He took off in the direction of the most expensive looking aircraft. Busting into one of these shouldn't be too hard. Not one to be stupid, he deliberately chose the camouflaged craft as opposed to the cherry red that was sitting sister to the one he chose.

Hopping into the vehicle, he roughly dumped the good doc into the back seat, strapped a seat beat around him and landed right into the pilot's seat. He grumbled as he looked around for wires. _What did he think he fucking was? MacGyver?_ Good thing he watched those shows when he was wee high. Not much for piddling bullshit like the skinny fellow on T.V., he later found to his satisfaction that hand to hand combat and ground control attack was just his ticket.

When the vehicle's engine started to turn after a few attempts at wiring, he looked up and saw the security guards, but this time they were accompanied with men in white as well. A harsh snarl and the rumble in his throat only served him to fuel his openly expressed irritation, knowing that he'd rather get down there and start kicking some ass; but,…….even a soldier at top rank should know when it's time to bow out and take the high road until another time.

His enemies were closing in. Krauser threw out several flash bangs their way, counting on the fact that some of them would be temporarily unavailable. Then as he turned the vehicle to head out of the hanger, he snapped a hand grenade's pin with his teeth then threw it in the same direction. Didn't even bother looking back to see the carnage, he steered the aircraft into the running field to get him started. He also had to keep a sharp eye on those blasted missile launchers.

As he passed several planes along the way that were lined up, he threw extra incendiaries and hand grenades into them, causing them to explode enough to damage. Some hit the fuel tank and managed to blow them up sky high. Fiery debris fell everywhere, even hitting some of the surviving lab coat guys with those white hoods that should have protected them. Chuckling, his little getaway was going to be successful, and after he's at least miles away from this goddamn facility, he was going to have a word or two with Wesker. He didn't think that his boss was going to like this one bit.

_--X-_

When Ada had closed the door behind her, the caged experiments were typically something she had seen before. This time, it had DNA samples of actual life forms from an environment that normally would not sit well with this one. The overwhelming stench nearly made her gag. It was something akin to smelly gym socks at least a week old mixed with moldy cheese. "What the hell is in this stuff?"

Not that she wasn't used to smelling the carcass of dead flesh, or recently charred bodies blown up by her incendiary grenades. But a classy girl like her should not be subjected in the same four walled room with assaulting odors that could annihilate a person with a weak stomach.

Tempted the blow the place up for fear that the rest of humanity would get the same whiff, she decided against it and went about her business to check her files on her PDA: first red dot when reached, the initiative is to blow the place up. She raised a fine dark brow and clucked her tongue. "Wesker, great minds think alike."

Normally she'd ignore Wesker's assets in the intellectual department, but there were many instances in which she found to her horror or intrigue, whichever she felt like feeling at the time – that he thought along the same lines as her.

With that, she took out what was in her attaché case and set the bombs in place, then looked at the further files on the first red dot destination: retrieve one important sample that is set in the freezer room before blowing the greenhouse up.

"Some greenhouse." She mused aloud, "This place is disgusting." She would not so touch a single thing in the room. The dead animals that were in the cages were half torn, or rather mutated to a high degree that they were barely recognizable. "I've always hated animal testing."

The plants themselves were kept in glass cages, and in some areas of the glass were a few handy things she could use: yellow herbs. These usually upped her stamina until she was nearly on the same level as the rest of the guys she knew in this line of work, but first, her business at hand was to get inside the freezer room.

The rows of plants began to move, as if swayed by an invisible wind. "Great." A sarcastic mutter. She pried open the freezer door, walking at the end of the cold room. The air around her filled with white smoke and her breath came out in white puffs. The intense chill made her skin bump. Hurrying with the door, she turned it until it opened up like a metal security bank access.

As she eyed the sample, it was by no means something she was expecting. Not a typical tube or even of herbivore ancestry, it looked like a key. When she took it out, it must have activated something, because she could swear that just outside this room was a loud shuffling of what sounded like feet.

_---X_

On Wesker's end, he wasn't actually having the best of time. He lunged inside a room by flying through a glass window, avoiding the onslaught of what looked like oversized vegetables on legs. He managed to blast them away with his Killer 7, but the numbers kept adding up. It was due, to this observation, that when he started to kill them one by one or by several with one wholloping shot with his magnum - they merged with the live ones from behind and grew in size.

Taking time to casually push the bridge of his sunglasses up, he chuckled, and a man who had seen worse, decided the smartest route would be to back out right now until he found their weak spot. Thus, how he ended up on the ground with glass shards all around him.

A large canister of Pesticides greeted him and he knew, as he scanned the storage room that these were filled with them. He figured that the blood sucking insects or growing virus inside them have penetrated their DNA and thereby manipulating the blood stream, mutating the hell out of the sorry victims.

He threw one of the canisters into the other room where the merged vegetative monsters started to shuffle their way to his direction. It blasted them to pieces just as he expected, and what made him pause before turning around was that the new transformation from the bang led the victims to become partly human. But with human body parts scattered all over the place.

Taking the moment to relax, he took out his PDA to contact Ada. She blinked on the other end; her pretty almond dark eyes looked back at him. "Trouble?" She said in that honeyed voice.

"Not at all. I trust you're done with the first location?"

"I had a bit of trouble, but nothing I can't handle."

"Find a storage room. There you'll find some pesticides to give you the edge."

"Luckily I already had the opportunity." She smirked back. "I'm already at the 2nd location. And by the way, the sample? It's a key."

"I know. It's to be used to get to the 2nd locale."

She would have laughed if not for the serious tone of her employer's voice, "From there, you shall receive another key and then another, and when you get to the 5th locale, that's a section where it merges my last destination with yours."

"Sounds like fun. I can hardly wait for our reunion." She said with a languid air.

"The last location if you notice on the map is above ground, a waterfall hides the last important key."

"Too bad I'm not on vacation; I could use a nice shower from the stench around here."


	11. Ada's Report

Ada had set the bombs in place at the first locale, and that same music floated freely along the tunnels in an effort to distract her from her course; they seem to vibrate through out the underground complex.

Not a moment too soon, she heard the small explosion behind her; it was right on schedule. Having locked up the entire place by barring the metal doors, it was taking all her effort to hurry the hell up, and if she didn't carry with her those herbal remedies which sustained her stamina, she'd surely need more than meager medical attention.

As she casually set her pace at a steady speed along the thickened grating floor, she doubled over, held on to her side, as if in pain. A sharp stab was felt on her side, as if she ate a big meal and ran a lap right afterwards. Cursing inwardly, she gritted her teeth, angry at the slow rate she had to pace down to; her usual quick strides, which made her faster than her superiors or equals, were well known.

Having none to eat for awhile save for those herbs gave her reason to feel the inferiority of her human limitations. When Wesker had called, she was slightly relieved, and found to her disconcertment that there were more keys to retrieve.

She had to find more of those pesticides fast_. Really_, she scoffed, angry with her pause_, it's not like I haven't been in worse situations_. The 2nd locale was found as she looked up. Still underground, the entry doors led to another tunnel that reached upward, and from there it looked liked she would either infiltrate through since there were two gates. These gates provided access to a shorter section of the tunnel. Both of them were blocked off by metal wires.

Climbing into the tunnel entrance, she noted the gate to the right – a void of pitch black welcomed her vision.

She could hear the sound of steam from the other end of the tunnel. Taking out one of her flares and noting that there were only two left, she shook her head and thought of the upcoming three more red dots on the map. A flare, she wisely decided wouldn't do in such close corners, and searched vainly in her small attaché case for something else. A pen light. Clicking the tiny piece of haven in the darkness, she didn't even see the large cavity that was descending on her.

* * *

_--X--- _

The "Organization", as Ada put it, opened up Miss Wong's sent file. As they scanned it over, the person in question who went over the information tapped a finger over the recorded message. The tracing confirmed her voice and signature of the report:

**_Report I: Albert Wesker: _**

_As you may all be aware by now, and as far as I can tell, Albert Wesker hadn't caught on as of yet of my close affiliation with 'S'; however, he's not a fool. Previously, our connection with one another extends as far as the incident before the outbreak in __Racoon_ _City__ years ago. As I've already contacted you of Miss Graham's abduction from Jack Krauser a few months ago, and as pre-planned, everything had gone smoothly to the end. Bringing Leon S. Kennedy into it was the best route. I made sure that no harm would come to him, and as long as he could fight on his own - which to my observation, he has vastly improved; he's the man for your job and his survival is crucial. But, I could not help but change a few plans of my own. _

_I don't regret the decision I had to make by the personal relationship I willingly ventured with Albert Wesker. Unlike the previous boyfriend to acquire vital information by pretending to care for him, Wesker proved to be more worthy as a personal partner, giving more clues and hints to me about his future goals. Yet, unfortunately, those clues leading to his final goal, which are resurrecting the New Umbrella, retrieving all the rare samples connected to the G-virus, and among others, are still in question. _

_Why? Because as much as we've attempted to spoil his plans, he has within his grasp, many connections to many scientists and viruses that he's acquired and developed relationships with over the years. There is a clue, which I would like to inform you, of a daughter from Dr.O'Neil that could benefit this investigation. My advice? Finding her could be a trace in connection to Dr.O'Neil's condition and to Wesker's past. _

**_Report II: Jack Krauser: _**

_It is no doubt that my future contacts with the former American Soldier will prove more harrowing than our last meeting. I had presumed him dead, as planned, but disappointingly, some cockroaches cannot die. _

_It should be noted that our future together would be without uncertainty a fight to the death. Since I have studied his moves, I was able to take him down beforehand on our last mission, although not without some serious scratches. If any of you are concerned, not to fret, I feel with the grace of a woman's intuition that he'll pause because Wesker would not allow for me to die….at least not yet. _

_As for the relationship of Wesker, myself and Krauser, it's pretty much on eggshells. Wesker for some reason trusts me, beyond all others, despite the fact that I've betrayed him. I think this goes to prove that my nature caused him to admire that aspect. But make no mistake; Wesker's trust on me is on thin ice. Krauser has yet to reveal that I was the one who put him out of commission, at least as far as I'm aware. _

_Wesker will always find Krauser's presence more of an expense, but at least Krauser knows whose side he's on to feed his craving for that arm of his. Conservative minds do have the way to preserve order, unluckily for him, his mind warped years ago. _

_There's no need to be troubled by the likes of a military grunt like him, he'll prove his worth to Wesker again, just like a good obedient soldier. _

**_Report III: Madre-Falls Research Facility; man-made peninsula for a government sanctioned greenhouse for unusual and rare plant species. _**

_My findings on the Isthmus proved to be satisfactory for now. I have met the good doctor, O'Neil, as he goes by, and by his extended stay on the facility underground, he had acquired a strange and unusual virus. Much is unknown about this at this time, as you may have guessed and that the government itself has not been informed as of yet – the small outbreak among the premises underground. Note that above ground, nothing seemingly is out of the ordinary. You're also aware that the head scientist, O'Neil has been keeping these findings a great secret. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps he is using this as a way to experiment and find a cure to reverse the effect. _

_There have been others too, other former human beings on the premises that have converted into less than human. Nothing like Dr.O"Neil, but more like creatures in plant form ready to defend their territory and much to my disconcertment as well as yours that I have to eliminate them if they attack. _

_Jack Krauser was given the task to send over the doctor to a private facility. That facility you probably know is connected to one of Wesker's connections, albeit as well as yours. Do let me know if there is any trouble with Krauser on his way there? Or if I have to find myself confronting the American again, and if in case of the latter, I'll just have to take care of it. _

_I don't like to do extra paperwork. _

_-**End message-** _

_--X--

* * *

_

Ada swore inelegantly, pushed her body back violently as the plant's mouth grazed her shoulder and arms, nearly taking them off. With the TMP in her hand, she fired round after round, as like a machine gun – splattering bits and pieces of the plant debris away from her. The creature screeched a human sound, and popped like a balloon, with surprising force. What she didn't expect was the onslaught of feathery shards from within its gut.

It tried to fall over on her but Ada swung around and did a heavy kick into the dead plant with the heel of her combat boots, shoving it deep. The remains left soaked her boots with sap and plant goo, and that familiar disgusting smell of moldy cheese and gym socks weeks old and never washed filled the air.

"Ugh, I just don't get paid enough for this."

She then felt intense razor sharpness where the creature had stunned her. Along her shoulders and arms, the thick black material of her suit had ripped open, exposing her skin and the blood started flowing. Reaching up to stop the blood, she groaned, feeling quite dizzy. This feeling brought her mind to attention, realizing too late that the infection was through a contact by certain species. This type of plant with the gaping mouth possessed needles along its body; most particularly, the feathery shards inside the gut caused an explosion of pain so intense she nearly blacked out.

Paradoxically, as her body was on the verge of falling and her mind started to shut down, the chemicals the thing had injected in her bloodstream must have brought her back. Ada could feel something foul entering her body, like a tiny piece of germ that is detectable; it pushed her consciousness down and back even as it tried to claim most of her cerebral cortex.

Her first thought: contact Wesker. Tell him that something is inside the plant and by contact with an open wound, it would infiltrate the host. Not one to panic, she grabbed hold of herself, forced her mind to adjust to the pain.

_Get a hold of yourself, __Ada__, you've died before, on the brink and Wesker gave you something to help you heal, renewed your body better than any normal human being. Now get the hell up and fight_ _to live. _

Ada sighed deeply, reached up with a shaky hand to wipe the light perspiration from her brow. The intense steam coming from the direction she was going made her aware that one of the pipes had broken or there was a leak. Bending forward from the pain, she checked quickly for any more remedial medicines that Wesker had packed for her. She was down to one.

This would tide her over, but she'd have to keep a much heightened sense of her next attacker if she is going to be seeing the next light out of this hellish complex. _Time is not a luxury_, Wesker would tell her, but she took the moment to lean exhaustingly back against the wall, taking the herb into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

Sometimes, she wished she were another person. She wonders in front of mirrors when no one is around who that person is, and sometimes she would by some stupid notion to feel sensation, force her dead emotions to come out.

She would then remember her childhood. It would be, from another viewpoint, considered as a terrible past. Perhaps. It is always different from person to person. She was privileged, always had been, with a mother she hardly knew and a father who was hard as brass. Affectionate but never soft. He felt that working hard, being ambitious, and driving to achieve to be the best were the things that are the vial of life.

But from her distant family's account of her mother, they would say that Ada's mother's was one of the wisest women they've the opportunity to know. She's classy, and that Ada herself took after that trait. They've never seen her slouch. Ada would smile faintly; the businessman her tough father was came from Asian descent, and was one of the smartest people she knew.

Her mother on the other hand, she could not say that she had more than just class as a common trait. Ada could never reach out to people and the light in her mother's eyes, the laughter she remembered as a child belonged to a woman that she herself didn't feel. The laughter was soothing, like wind chimes on a soft breezy summer day, while hers, were low keyed and sweetly sardonic. Her mother was humble, and like countless other women, she's had heartaches. Some of her emotional bruises come from mistakes she's made, and others have come just because she's lived. She's _human. _

Wesker was not human anymore at least not in the emotional department; nevertheless, he had acquired many of the human residual traits. He was undeniably strong, and she felt that strength when she was beneath him, taking him into her; she had felt the restraints he had to manage just so she would feel the wave of desire mixed with pain.

She was unattached, and so was he. Working together, and he having this 'odd affection' if one would call it that, proved to be in more ways than one, beneficial; he used her, taking every advantage necessary to prove to her that she needed him to survive.

He did save her life, even if that life _served_ him.

Now her thoughts went to John…..poor John. A wave of pity washed over her, but she shoved them away. She knew what John was doing. He was just as corrupt as the others, just like Wesker, but one thing John had over Wesker, was that her previous boyfriend had made a final redemptive act. He tried to warn Ada of the seriousness of Umbrella's unethical experiments, wrote his last letter addressed to her: _Expose Umbrella for what they were doing_.

John was so serious in his final note, so full of bitter redemption, and why not? He had been turned into a zombie. He knew it was running into his blood stream, infecting him and he had seen first hand what the walking dead had done to him. John looked a bit like Wesker too, without the hard lines around his mouth.

Life was indeed full of ironies.

Did she even care? With that, she scoffed, a smirk on her lips, and pushed away from the wall. She was feeling loads better from the herbal remedy and started towards the 2nd locale, crept along the tunnel and turned off the steam engines that seem to be pumping with conduit electricity. Checking her map and files on the 2nd locale, she was glad that Wesker didn't want this area to be blown up. That would cause a major dent. Not to mention, she only had one other bomb in her case.

This locale was easier to infiltrate and to find the key. It was hanging off one smaller pipe above the utility tunnel's main steam room.


	12. The Cat

A cat's visual field of view of 200 degrees versus human retina of 180 degrees make it necessary for their predatory nature to look for prey, and while a cat has a disadvantage to a mouse's sense of hearing and smell; Albert Wesker's powers were heightened considerably with the ability of a predator mixed in with that of a reptilian's cold blooded nature. With those heightened abilities he was able to acquire, he took that 'power' to resurrect into the man he is now.

Wesker adjusted his vision in the darkness, having the skill of infra red; he stepped slowly into the facility. As he scanned around and listened tentatively for any sound or movement – only silence greeted him. Taking his sunglasses off with deliberate slowness, the pupils of his eyes slowly closed to mere slits as the light from the main system turned on. It had a sensor to detect any delayed movement.

Marveling at the array of species in thick glass tubes, he noted the wires connected to the tube from what looked like a large water tank. It appears to be repeatedly feeding into the plant species inside the round tubes. Inside wasn't water, but a mixture of hydrogen and some other unfamiliar substance. The water he noted was 'hard water'; a completely different form of water than the normal drinking kind. It was the type of water to create the atomic bombs in the past.

He searched for Dr.O'Neil's paperwork. That would be important and make his job easier. Among the papers that he found near the counters, there was one in particular that he recognized. Wesker scanned them over, and as he thought……the research needed human victims with a certain blood type. A wry smile graced his lips. "Why am I not surprised? Pity most of them were failed experiments.." He looked up at the round tubes, the wires and barely distinguishable bodies. With satisfaction, he folded the papers and placed them in his attaché case, the most important one on his person.

He was about to go over the specimens and take a few samples, but his PDA beeped. It was Ada on the other line.

"Wesker, I'm at the 3rd locale, and am already finished with the mission there. I'm on my way to the 4th. However, there are a couple things I have to tell you…"

"Hmm…go on."

"A certain plant specimen, a rather large one, and inside them these feathery shards penetrated my skin, and apparently, cut me open and –.."

"Rather careless of you, Ada."

Unfazed at his callousness, she continued, "I'm feeling intensely nauseated, I don't know if I can keep up to the 5th locale. I may have to ask for your assistance." She wanted to bite her lip, and with that, the pain inside her nearly doubled her over. Her face screwed up with pain, but she bravely tried to stem it down.

"Need more medical supplies and herbs?"

He raised a dark blond brow; his taut calmness unnerved her – especially since she felt wet and flushed with perspiration, her body shivered as if from the cold.

After a long moment, his stern mouth moved. "Alright. I'll be there. Stay where you are."

He closed the contact.

Cursing beneath his breath, he was irritated that she got herself in trouble. She knew better than that. Right now, he rushed to get the samples and set a small bomb in the area. He set the bomb at a later date, because of the hard water in the area; it would be dangerous being in the same vicinity, or within a set amount of miles. This would tide over any evidence and then later, he'll make sure to make a big explosion when they were cleared out of the isthmus.

This was going to push him for time, and saving her life again was becoming second nature to him. Closing the door securely shut behind him, he rather regretted not mulling over the section a little longer. Patting the hidden paperwork, a smile graced his lips. It was enough for now.

Encountering a few little minor set backs along the way, Wesker strategically maneuvered his moves around the annoying vines and crawling plants. He cocked his killer -7 when he saw from a distance one of the earlier annoyances that tried to 'eat' him.

As it tried to reach towards him, its mouth opened wide, Wesker blasted a hole in one in the cavity, blowing it to pieces. He doubled back from the blast, avoiding the shards he had come to observe the first time around. Luckily for him, his expensive suit was created specifically to ward off any small glass and sharp needles as in this case.

The rain earlier helped. It was something he would take note of for the future and it rained often here. That was probably why these 'plants' never reached above ground. They were anxious of pure rainwater. Maybe not afraid….since he had encountered the first one right outside the underground facility. But their ability to cause more trouble was limited.

When he finally reached Ada, she was slumped down against a dormant steam engine pipe, her head down.

" Ada, wake up." He reached inside his pocket to give her the medicinal herb.

She looked up at him, her wet eyes shone like black jewels; the look of utter astonishment plain on her face. "Wesker, you came?"

Ignoring the insult, he crouched down and took her chin under his hand. "Listen to me; I want you to chew on this. We have to get moving."

A giggle came forth from her lips. "You're so charming, that's what I love about you."

Slightly taken aback, he drew his brows together. " Ada?"

She slapped the herb away from his hand. "I don't want that. I'm hungry!"

"Hmmmm….looks like you're infected." He was examining her shoulders and the ripped material and dried blood.

His hands were gentle as he inspected the wounds and attempted to give her the herbs again. "Don't be childish. Take this now."

"No!" She grew angry, slapping it away. "Stop ordering me around." Then she pouted. "Why don't you take me out to dinner? You never ever take me out. What kind of boyfriend are you?" Another giggle.

This was completely out of character for her, Wesker noted, and her silly mood during a mission was due to that infection. "Ok, I'm going to inject a serum in you."

"Always the Renaissance man, Mr. Albert Wesker," She gritted her teeth. "Always having a cure for everything. Damn you. Why don't you save the world with it?"

Did she sound giddy? She blinked; then slumped back, as if from exhaustion.

"Okay, I'm going to force feed you." He asserted himself with strong fingers in her mouth, pushing the herb in. "Now chew goddamnit. We haven't got all day and night. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

She slung her arms around him then, "Don't leave me here, Albert….please don't. I don't want to die in this stinking hole." A tear slid down her cheek.

Wesker paused, his heart was beating fast, but his mouth remained stern. " Ada…"

She released another uncharacteristic giggle.

He clamped his teeth down. "Alright. Let's get you out of here."

He pulled her and linked her arm around him, his other arm held on to her waist. "We're nearing the next locale. I'll just have to take care of the rest." It annoyed him intensely, but he could see that her condition was not steady. He would have to inject her with a serum immediately and hoped that herb would heal her abnormal mental capabilities.

"Dr. O'Neil….Wesker…."

"What?" She was barely dragging her feet as he carried her partially along.

"He was like this, except he wasn't dying like me…"

"You're not going to die, Ada, not when I'm around."

"I know….you _need_ your international spy..." Her head lolled over to his shoulder and she breathed in his scent. "You smell good. Did I tell you that? Like all the good and bad things rolled into one." She smiled faintly, then chuckled.

"I see the greenhouse; it looks like an easy way in." He said flatly while ignoring her mumbled words.

"Don't you want to know how you smell…even the bad things?" she reached up with a finger and traced his jaw.

" Ada, concentrate." He set her back against the wall this time and pulled out a syringe, took out a small bottle that was half filled. He tapped the needle, watched the drip of liquid go out, and then took her arm. "This should take you back to normal…"

"You smell musky, like a rare tiger, mixed with leather and cologne….and sweat. Oh yes, your sweat….mmmmm." She giggled. "The bad things, well, they're your usual stiff starched lab coats, and those god awful flesh and antibiotic stench from your experiments…they do cling on to you after you're working."

"Nice to know I'm irresistible, dear heart."

She heard that derisive masculine voice again in her consciousness. It was disdainful, called her dear heart, and she knew he wasn't serious with her. "Wesker…."

"Mmmm yes?" He pulled out the syringe then, "You should be fine in awhile. Now let's get going. After this, I'll take you back to my med facility and tend your wounds."

Just then, his PDA beeped. Pulling it out, he clicked it on. "Krauser…."

The connection was fuzzy but Krauser's voice was clear. "Wesker, I'm bringing a plane over, and I've got the doc with me."

Wesker was not happy with this bit of news. "I told you to bring the doctor to the location for study."

"Change of plans. Seems that they wanted me to be part of the experiment."

Silence.

Krauser tried again after waiting a moment for Wesker's response. "The plan was simple; you didn't tell me I was going to be part of the experiment along with the daffy doc."

Wesker exhaled. "No. But I see that they've decided to use you because of your 'arm', or because I've injected a vital virus in you to manipulate your adrenaline, among other things."

"Yeah well, that's just tough shit. Is there a place to land there?"

"As a matter of fact, this actually bears good news. I was just about to call someone over from my facility to pick us up within the hour. The timing is impeccable. Land over at the edge of the peninsula, by the water, there's a stretch of hard sand that should suffice."

"Consider it done."

"Oh and Krauser? Try not to harm Dr. O'Neil or the plane."

He snapped the PDA closed and went back to Ada's condition.

Ada's hooded eyes watched him, "He's coming isn't he?"

"Hmm? Nothing to worry about. Krauser's going to pick us up along the beach."

"How romantic." She rolled her eyes. "A cold stiff scientist with a love only for power equipped with no feelings, and a scarred huge mechanical soldier who doesn't trust me. A girl like me can't get any luckier from the prospect."

It was a sarcastic attempt but within her meager perception, she was not ready to face Krauser in her condition. She was falling in and out of her ability to keep a straight face. Whatever that creature had, it poured into her system some kind of highly toxic laughing gas.

"I thought you and Krauser could get along…" A wry smile. "Trouble?"

Maybe she felt like talking, but as he lifted her up in his arms, she borrowed his shoulders to rest her head. "I'm hungry." She had to shut her mouth and think of something else. Right now it was food.

That alarmingly pleasant but distant smile returned to Wesker's face.

"I'll give you fine meal when we're out of here, but right now. I'm taking you to the next area. I'm going to have to set you down in a storage room until you are aware of your surroundings with the ability you're possessed of: being the skilled spy that you are." He replied smoothly.

His cat-eyes scanned her condition. "You ready, Miss Wong?"

She nodded. Feeling the effects of the serum he injected in her, it was now warming her blood system, she blushed; a stain of embarrassment bloomed in her cheeks from her unguarded behavior.

"Now, let's finish off this little tour so we can get back." He was already on his way towards the next location.


	13. XIII

_A/N; thank you so much to those who have kept up with this story. By the way, the heat wave is just whoa! I thought of cool water and wrote it. I'm currently writing the next chapter so I can hurry and finish._

* * *

_--X-_

When Dr.O'Neil woke, all he could feel was the terrible throbbing in his head and body. The unsteady movement beneath him rumbled, causing him to look around his surroundings. As he inched his head up, he saw that he'd been deposited in the back of a small plane. That big guy had been hit from the blast, then lastly, he himself felt intense pain and blacked out. He decided to lay back down, afraid of the American soldier with the obviously impatient and none too gentle attitude.

Krauser searched for the stretch of coastline along the peninsula; he kept a watchful eye out for any difficulties just in case 'they' sent a plane after him. Checking the status of his plane's coordinates, and gas fuel, he found that there was enough to get them out of there as planned. Thankfully, the weather condition wasn't too bad and gave him the edge to pursue a maximum speed to fly there with extra time.

Since his plane didn't go as fast as he'd like, it was disappointing that it was a 6-cyclinder engine, which still made him curious why his pursuers didn't try to locate his whereabouts. He was probably sure he was being pegged, but no matter, it's not like he cared anyway. Glancing over at the doc's condition in the back seat, Krauser wasn't too thrilled with the notion that he'd have to carry him over his shoulder again. Since Wesker didn't give any orders to take the doc inland, the temptation to leave him there was too good not to consider.

He swung the plane's door open. Swinging his body over out of the cockpit, he landed with a loud thud on the hard sand, causing small swirls of grainy dust to form around his combat boots. His hard blue eyes scanned the vicinity, his lip curled at the prospect of meeting more of those foul vegetables on legs - it was enough to make him go completely carnivore. He checked the map Wesker provided for him earlier when he was on this mission to retrieve the doc. Despite the fact that the area below ground smelled like plant sewage, it was better than the stink of _Ganados_ and rotting food on their tables.

The coast line brought in a fresh breeze from the ocean, and the pleasant sensation of the wind caressed his hard scars and toughened skin. He was as usual wearing nothing on top with only the harsh uneven scar that slashed across his large chest. A red beret atop his blond head, one would presume just from looking at his face that he wasn't a man to mess around with. Most people would be ultimately shocked to know that a mere woman in a red dress could take such a man of his size down.

It was like seeing a modern day version of _David and Goliath_, except in this case was a wily young woman with formidable skills. Krauser tightened his lip and his jaw ticked at the thought of seeing the bitch in the red dress; the prospect of meeting the woman of his dreams again made him remember her last words:

_"That's a LARGE thing you have there, but I don't like it when men play rough**."** _

He grinned and chuckled, and was so sure that there'll be a time when he'd get her alone, without Wesker around.

* * *

--X— 

Ada couldn't believe that the herb she took earlier didn't last very long. If Wesker wasn't around, she didn't know what kind of condition she'd be in. Perhaps look like the doctor or worse…..and thoughts of 'Charlie', came to mind, and countless other 'plants' that once had a human host.

They reached the 3rd location along the narrow walkway. As they reached the barred door to the greenhouse, Wesker paused and looked down. His boots were now wet; the water rippled around his ankles. He didn't notice this before……the water must have just rushed in.

" Ada, the other side of the door, there's probably some water leakage from inside, stand back and I'll blast the door open with a bomb." He ordered.

She looked up then. The vines she saw above rippled and fell around them, roping around their bodies until they both went sliding into the ground wet. Wesker cursed under his breath, reaching for his Pentagon Elite II military knife. It was small but its sharpness wickedly bore testament to taking his hide out of difficult situations more than once. Ada barely got out in time from a tight grip as she flew out of the circle of vines and forward flipped, rolling over the water to stand up with one knee forward. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Wesker slicing through the vines, and the screams from each cut came from the plant's pain.

He elegantly straightened up, pushed up his sunglasses with languid movements. "They've been quite an annoyance."

Ada briefly closed her eyes. "Yeah……" she backed away then, and the eerie feeling of something moving behind her caused her next reaction. She didn't hesitate as she cart wheeled out of its embrace and did a swinging fan kick at the intruder when it tried to grab hold of her again. It went splattering against the ground, and sap exploded from inside of the creature from her kick; the green coloring mixing in with the water like blood.

"Now look what you've done." Wesker reprimanded.

"Oh please." She lowered her eyes. "Bomb?"

He lifted the corner of his mouth, giving her a slight satisfied expression. "Finished." While she had that small space of time to back away and take care of a little business, he had already set up the bomb. "I suggest we get a clear path away."

They both ran a ways and waited for the detonation behind a metal large bin. The water came flooding out as the explosion sent it rushing into the entire area, flushing away any loose items. Even the metal trash bin they hid behind moved along with the flow of rushing water.

Wesker held on to a window with bars next to them, which led to another storage room, and Ada had to reach to grab hold to the bar but her fingers missed them in the battering of the small tidal wave. She was then hauled up against him as his hand groped the back of her vest. The wave of water rushed over their heads and then as immediately as it came, it subsided. Water lapped slowly down as the rest flushed through the passageways.

They were soaking wet. Ada pushed her dark hair away from her eyes, tucking the wet strands behind her ears and the bullet proof vest she wore felt three times heavier from the strain of water soaked through. Her employer looked as always, to her amusement – _neat_; his suit only stained a darker shade from the short bath.

Going through the entire complex of the interior of the washed room, they had to stumble around wet supplies and slosh through the water nearly ankle high. Ada found the next key under the soaked papers on the counters; it was stuck conveniently under a large paper weight.

"Good job, now let's hurry and get going to the next, so we can get to the last one and meet up with Krauser."

They didn't find too much trouble since most of the flood waters flushed a lot of the plants that were dangerous, and the vines hadn't been around to creep on them for awhile. Ada told him about the plants and animal parts that were in the other room, and that there was nothing out of the ordinary there. In the room, they spotted the evidence of the leakage flow; a large tank of water that was being pumped from the outside water falls and coves.

In no time at all, the closing destination to their final objective: the location up above the underground tunnels and greenhouses. It was located in the cave of the waterfall. Ada looked up at the foliage and green cover of plants that moved around in a web like design; they slithered along the rocks as a slow moving snake, withdrawing into the direction underneath the cove where the water fell into the water - this produced a sudsy foamy substance around the area. The moss covered rocks filled with the soapy water.

"Interesting…." Wesker mused aloud, but knew in his bones that something was not right….it was as if something was waiting for them. _Waiting for him._

Then that's when they saw it; the web-like structure of what the long thin vines and leaves caused covered the shape of some kind of - it was definitely female.

"Don't you remember me?" Her voice pleaded as her arms stretched out to hold him – to Wesker. She didn't really have a voice, it was lost in the soft spoken tones of whispered wind, but the newcomers could understand. Both could tell that this life form was a beautiful woman once, from what they could see – the facial features blended in with the green pigmentation and thickened leaves that seem to mar her beauty. Wesker slowly backed away, a wry smile on his lips.

"I don't believe I've had the honour."

"Yes you do." She laughed, shedding off her green mask of leaves like that of a snake parting with its old skin. The face had matured, but the features, well; Wesker doesn't really forget a face.

"O'Neil's daughter…" He inclined his head with polite formality, but his cat eyes sharpened under the shades.


	14. Ada & Krauser

_A/N: you knew the action was coming...I made the chapter a little longer for you guys._

* * *

_--X--_

Before Wesker stepped into the light of the inner cove, where O'Neil's offspring showed up to reveal her new transformation, Ada had backed away into the shadows. Her premonition was correct – she dared not tell Wesker of it, as she wasn't completely _sure_. From the looks of things, the way the woman stared at her employer, she was clearly _obsessed_.

Cleverly, she watched first what the woman would do. Wesker wasn't without his own skill, even more of advantage than Ada's, being that he possessed more weapons, a higher threshold for pain and physical strength.

The woman spoke with the sound of wind breezily sliding through a hollow tube. "I've been waiting for you, and finally, you've reached me, Albert. I've planned for this to happen, you see..…"

Her entire make up was swathed in the collage of leaves, thickened with vines that wrapped around her strong thighs; a myriad of flickering smaller leaves adorned her hair, giving off that impression of fractured light through a glass. They shone in multi-colored green shades and tones

Wesker arrogantly lifted his chin, and as he folded his arms and sported that usual hard expression, he didn't seem in the least bit bothered with the fact that she could very well be _dangerous._ Ada wondered if the woman even knew she was there.

The sound of rushing water from the water fall right outside the inner cavern heightened around them, and the woman gracefully moved, like a snake. Her slithery arms, to his annoyance, tried to reach out again. Wesker merely avoided them. He found to his wry amusement that most women, no matter what form, always found time to reach out for some kind of affection.

"I seem to have forgotten your name." He said with mocking gravity. "I'm not really the affectionate type."

She laughed, threw her head back. "Oh you are the same. Never changing, Albert. That's why you and me, we were supposed to be bethrothed.…" A saddened expression replaced her laughter. "You can call me whatever you like. But," she paused, a dimpled smile on her green cheeks. "I can't believe you forgot...don't you remember? Nevaeh."

"Ah yes. Heaven spelled backwards." Wesker drawled sarcastically, his cat-eyes carefully watched her behind his sunglasses. "Apparently, your dear father thought you'd be a little bundle of joy. Is he part of this?"

"Part of what?" She tried to act innocent.

"Your new transformation, of course, because, it's quite impressive." He looked at her surroundings, the way the intricate weavings of a web in ropey vines and weeds that look pretty adorned her throne. It wasn't actually a throne, but a unique structure made up of the vegetation around. It had with it, its own charming touches; the dark wet moss beneath her feet and the webbings wrapped itself around the rocks and branches of trees. _Come into my lair, said the spider to the fly,_ came to mind.

"Is she your woman?" Nevaeh turned to Ada finally. Ada remained in the shadows. The cavern had small openings above where light seeped through from the outside, and the trickle of water poured in from the cracks.

"That's none of your concern. So tell me, Nevaeh, how did you acquire this….power? Show me what you can do. What this new metamorphosis has done to your body."

"Albert, my love, I've expected insomuch from you. I knew you'd appreciate me."

"On the contrary, I'm just merely interested what powers –..."

He prepared for it. Hesitating long enough for her to make some kind of move, as she groped with those long arms; the flapping of leaves flickered and floated along them as if they belonged to a large sleeve attached to the skin. Wesker slid back in an instant, ducking away stylishly, but he wasn't prepared for the next move. She was on him with teleportation locked on powers. It was as if she had a honing device tapped onto his ..._brain._

Ada reached for her gun and shot at her. The bullets tried to penetrate the hide of the female but as the ray of bullets splattered the back of the woman, it merely healed quickly.

The woman reached out with a snapping vine; it tried to secure Ada in a strong hold.With the TMP Ada had in her hand, it blasted a hundred bullets into the vines.The mini-assault gun caused a splattered green gooey mess. This didn't deter Neveah, but Wesker had the upper hand with the small distraction.

With the experience of his martial skills, Wesker's back fist slammed into her, causing her to stagger back a bit. Her eyes shone wet with tears as she stared at him. The web like hand touched her cheek. "Albert? Why?" Then she drew her lips back in a snarl, the stained scissor like teeth appeared briefly, just long enough until Neveah reached for his neck.

He didn't want to destroy her, for the fact that further study was at the back of his mind: _he needed to research her DNA_, but a much needed _chiko chagi_ – an axe kick, slammed her violently down. Olive oiled like juices spilled out of her, soaking the mossy ground. The attack would have killed a lesser being. Wesker knew this wasn't a lesser being he was dealing with.

Ada was about to come closer with her TMP, but Wesker stopped her. "No. Get out of here. Retrieve Dr.O'Neil! Head over to the coastline and bring him back."

"No…" Something told her that if she left, things would go wrong….and though she_ shouldn't_ care, she actually did.

He clenched his teeth, "Don't do this, Ada! Do I have to remind you who is running the show?" He was livid now; his next biting remark made her flinch. "For once, Ada, play by _**my**_ rules. It's my life she wants!"

Wisely, she nodded and disappeared through the same way they had entered.

When Wesker turned back to his handiwork, that determined woman had started to heal; the replaying of skin re attaching itself back to her body, healing it with its own properties.

Neveah laughed, then lowered her heavy lids, her eyes sparkled like wet emeralds. "Albert. Now you know my power….let me show you….the extent of it."

Suddenly, Wesker was trapped within the folds of the plant's arms; a philodendron embracing the man in complete catalepsy. He would have been able to get out if not for the mind attack – she was invading it with a surgeon's surgical scissor, cutting at each neuron with the pretentious act of violence.

He struggled violently, as if in chains, and even his inhuman strength could not win out as the more he thrashed about, the more she raped his mind. With each struggle, he could feel the sting of a thousand needles, pinching at his insides, wanting information that he refused to give out….

* * *

-X 

--

It wasn't easy to avoid all the pitfalls along the way towards the main laboratory, taking care to only stop a few times to blast straying arduous plants that tried to block her path. But hurriedly going in the direction towards the coastline was alot easier than she thought...until...

"Going somewhere?"

Ada froze at the voice. Krauser. A dry smile graced her lips. He had his arms folded over his large chest, a smug look on his face.

"I was just thinking about you. This is my lucky day." The knife gleamed as he held it clenched in his fist, the casual stance of a fighter. His bow and arrow lodged securely behind his back; she could see them peeping out, and Ada gripped her TMP and noted to pick up the few grenades handy on her person.

"I thought I'd find you lurking around the shadows." She had turned slowly, just backing up to find him approaching her; she watched as the slow grin on his scarred face formed elatedly, the glint of his pearly whites winked.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? We both know what we want."

"Yes, well, I guess I didn't finish you off as well as I thought."

"You're going to regret ever trying to get away with it." He lowered his voice, taking the first move, and she double flipped back, avoided the dangerous swing of his large blade. Stopping to watch her fall back on her feet, her weapon of choice in her hands, he chuckled.

"Pathetic. Let's try and play a little rough. I know how you like that…"

Raising a dark brow at him, her casual reply continued to provoke him. "Why of course, bring that arm of yours, Krauser, I have little time enough as it is."

He moved with such amazing speed – it was like lightning, even for such a big guy; the side way slide he often did flashed back and forth until he was right up her face with his signature knife. She barely had time to flip over, as a hard drive into her side staggered her – the material ripped from that section, wounding her exposed flesh.

She cried out in pain, wobbled a bit as she landed on her unsteady feet, but her resolve to move the hell out of there pushed her stamina to respond faster than the sensation of being, as usual, cut up. He grinned with triumphant laughter, "You're mine, bitch!" Tearing into her with a dogged determination, Krauser swung again, his ability to move in a forward jutting position – the power of mini- flash bangs and in-your-face deceptive skills to undo his opponents made him cocky.

Ada was continuously on the defensive, blocking out his movements, avoiding them as fast as possible. She had to find a weak spot fast, before the time ran out, and she didn't have any medicinal herbs with her. The tenacity to beat her opponent was crucial, yet she was faltering. This wasn't like her, and if she was going to find a way to save Wesker, taking down the American would be her first fight.

So where was her resolve? Where was that crafty mouse-like aptitude to avoid her enemies when they were more formidable? Shakily, she threw a flash grenade, but not before she got to see Krauser's face up close; the tip of knife ready to plunge right into her heart. He staggered back a little from the intense light. In using this particular weapon against him, she also knew it was more or less a last minute ditch to run off. Ada needed him to use his arm to beat him. It was the only way!

With him close enough, she swung high with her booted feet, knocking Krauser back with a fan kick. It brought him back to his senses, not damaged by her kick. He chuckled at her, knowing that she was toast as he noticed that she had a gash across her side, where now blood was dripping down her legs. This was going to be easier than he thought.

"What's the matter? Thought you could beat the shit out of me like before?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."

"Prepare for your death!" He growled; the hard light in his eyes hardened at the conceit of her words.

* * *

--X--- 

Nevaeah hungered and that hunger sifted through her victim's mind. She had cocooned him in a vise like grip, and his struggles had lessened. She knew that she was no match for his physical combat skills, but he was not a match for her mind abilities. As intelligent and crafty Wesker was, he could not have known the extent of the power she held – the power to take away memory. To transfer it to her.

"Do you feel that, my love?" The whispered voice rang false. "Give me what I need."

It _wasn't_ love that she wanted, _no that wasn't it. _Wesker could feel – _no, could read_, could understand what was going on although his body was in a catacomb state. _She wanted something from him_.

"Yes, I do, Albert. As much as my poor heart was broken because you could not love, I knew that you could never be with anyone, so that made my own ambition to pursue you the only way I can, religiously, passionately..._I want what you know_."

She watched his reaction and was pleased that he was suffering..."I am not foolish to chase after a man like yourself with obviously no emotion whatsoever. You, darling Albert, have _no _heart."

The ripping sensation of his heart atrophied; he wasn't sure if it's the trick of her powers or that he was actually degenerating. She grasped at his thoughts, his memories, deep within them – to find vital clues. _No, not clues. Facts. _She wanted to learn about all his secrets, everything he knew about the viruses he's acquired over the years. Everything. From the G-virus, the T-virus, and the acquired plagas that he has been pursuing as of late, sifting through the tendrils of his consciousness for anything, she plundered.

He forced those things down, buried them deep within. Shut them out so that she only got memories of his past, his childhood, his first date, his first kiss….his first love….

Then she found something of interest to her…

A mirage of his thoughts formed: the day they had met through her father.

She stopped searching for the formulas in his mind, and watched the events. Starving to understand why he would not see her for the beautiful creature she thought she was.

He was a teenager then, confident, cocky with the knowledge that he knew more than your average Joe. But he was also ambitious. Just like he is now. He hadn't changed much. The blond hair slicked back with style, and he wore sunglasses then too; they were used to hide the simmering hatred he felt for his colleagues. For Chris, for Barry, for those who had died in the mansion years ago. Not much later, a rather nice vision appeared in her scanning: he looked good in his S.T.A.R.S. uniform.Wesker carried with him the arrogance and intellect that is still stamped on his person. A captain.

She saw how he had managed to wile his way out of harms reach when all his 'f riends' had either died or had taken the blow from the attacking dead. Neveah clucked her tongue at him. "Albert, you're a very _very_ bad man. We could have made a beautiful team."

The pressure increased, ripping his mind away from the scene, and tried to draw out the information he had tried hard to keep down – it was a battle he would have to fight harder than anything else he's had in the past.

A plunging invisible tendril dipped inside his cortex, left the back hemisphere, away from his memories where files of formulas are kept……where the reasoning and judgment made him the man that he is….


	15. Mental & Physical Combat

--X—_ (just more action. Sorry later than usual. Next chapter...a surprise)_

* * *

_Chapter 15- Mental & Physical Combat-

* * *

_

-x-

Madre-falls appeared serene; an out of the way paradise. Near the coastline, however, a man and a woman circled each other beneath the partial cover of trees.

Krauser rushed at her with mordant force, swooping up the large tactical knife in the air; it missed his ready victim just by centimeters. He anticipated his opponent's next move would be either jump backward or –….

She instantly ducked; rolled forward and over to land behind him, hurriedly extended her booted leg into his back knee in a rapid advance move to trip him up. He got on his one knee for a moment from the back assault. He swiveled around but not before Ada used both her hands together to land them aggressively from behind. Not being able to dissuade him as she managed only to hit him once, he plunged his large arm in a fast upward motion swing.

The military blade in his grip whipped, cutting through the thickened air, and slicing closely enough to cause her to use her trained reflexes to step back, avoiding deadly blows. Tumbling to the ground, she lifted a leg in the air as he swooped down on her – a hard kick on his torso sent him back. Giving Ada the opening to roll away instantly, she pushed her body upward, landing up on one knee – positioned into the stance of a skilled fighter – her gun pointed directly at him.

She took several shots, firing away as he agressively went on the attack, deflecting bullets as she tried to lock on to him. He swung forward and she bent backwards to duck, falling on her back. Ada rolled over as he sliced his large blade downward, just barely missing her again. Adrenaline was a brilliant natural response and one that Ada mentally thanked as she felt the rapid rise of it pouring generously in her medulla. Feeling the piston of blood rushing and the stucco impression of strident thumps in her ear - her quickened heartbeat rushed; a crescendo of resolve strengthened to bring her back to reality. Her body's reaction numbed the pain she had felt earlier.

Krauser drew a snort, a slow easy grin mocked her; the harsh expression of self satisfaction and conquest stamped openly in the glint of his blue eyes. "You can't dance away from me forever."

He playfully twirled his knife in the air, gripping it back to a strategic posture. The jingoism of his attitude never ceased to amuse her.

"Maybe not, but news flash, you haven't won yet." She challengingly countered. Just in time to flip back from her horizontal position on the ground, her legs pushed upward, springing over her head to land gracefully on her feet. Her weapon in the comfort of her steady hands, and with a pressured finger on the trigger sent a barrage of TMP bullets his way. They stung the toughened skin, penetrated areas enough to cause him to fall back; but, some had bounced off parts of his covered body. He rushed in, strategically tortuously skimming his way through her defenses; she had to stand her ground before he was right up to her face.

With the last bullet into his flesh, she pulled back, swung over and danced away.

"Enough playing around, you're too wiry!" He laughed. "You're quicker than Leon, I'll give you that. 'Sides, one stab straight through and you're a dead bitch. You know it too." he growled, pointing the end of his blade at her. "Maybe it's time I show you what my arm could do now…"

She snorted. "Oh?" lifting a dark fine brow at him, her body tensed, waiting for it…."Like it's something new to me?"

His hard light blue eyes narrowed. "Nothing like having a reunion with my favorite woman..." he said cynically, looking at her attire, and noted the blood stains on her black combat suit. "Still the bitch in red."

Pumping with blood and power surging through his veins, his arm started to pulse, like a heart beat - hammering a crescendo of thickened purple arterial mixture of blood and explosive viral chemicals, scouring through his arm – feeling like a million bucks, and loving every minute as he growled in a deep exultant cry.

Reaching to the clear blue sky, his weapon pointing upwards as the blood red blade shined along the edges and it crackled a vibrant pink hue of electricity all around him, giving Ada the indication that he's completely insane in this transformation.

Because of his nearly impenetrable cover – his arm; it helped block out anything that she should attempt with her TMP. Throwing it away for a handy grenade, she threw it and jumped back, watching as he stumbled from the shrapnel pellets that splattered all around him as it exploded.

This was enough for him to bring his arm down off guard; Ada took her chance and instead of using another grenade as that wouldn't help before he would damage her further, sending her out of commission, she ran towards him. Seizing the arrow that was secured in a small binding behind his back, she stabbed him with it quickly, pulling it out as he growled out in pain. His blood attached to the end of the arrow dripped as she had yanked it out as quickly as she had fiercely pierced through his thick flesh beforehand.

Jumping carefully back away from a safe distance, Ada whipped out her TMP again, reloaded as quickly as she could, but Krauser turned and rushed aggressively at her. While she went back on the defense, using quick reflexes to avoid the arc swing of his large tactical oversized arm, she was instantly knocked flat on the ground on her back when he anticipated her next move to flip away – caught her in mid air when he'd moved forward in that flash bang speed to seize her, slamming her down hard.

She groaned out from the sharp blow, taking a precious half second to stare up at the sky, and rolling out of the way as his deformed sharpened arm crashed down on the ground, finding a false target. Spinning her body away, and grunting in obvious pain, she forcefully pulled herself up, took the TMP and shot at least fifty bullets into him which caused him to yell and stagger; his arm had started to retract, going into submission as he felt the rain of bullets empty into his flesh.

He had fallen hard, face first on the hard sand, a reminiscent picture of how it was before – when she had first kicked his ass. Needless to say, Leon had done most of the damage, giving her more an open opportunity to watch everything beforehand.

She breathed heavily, feeling the effects of her pain and the terrible wound around her midsection had opened up more. It didn't stop her from looking down at Krauser's blood soaked body.

"How many times can a girl say no, Krauser? I told you I don't like it when men play rough."

She had to hurry to Wesker, hurry to the doctor, find him and take him to his deranged daughter. Ada was getting quite tired of all these psychopaths wanting power and transformation to grace their bodies. What insanity! She had almost made it to the plane, stumbling with her hand over her waist when an arrow hit her in the back.

Crying out in pain, it was her turn to heavily fall face down on the ground, and tears of pain covered her cheeks. Krauser had gotten up to use his arrow to take her down. She didn't know about Dr.O'Neil and how he had saved her afterwards, how the timid and unchallenging loony scientist had taken Krauser out of commission by using an injection into his back arm.

Krauser hadn't noticed the doctor's appearance out of nowhere, that the older man had watched the entire affair, felt a pang of pity for the young woman and not to mention, he was already in perfect dislike of the big American that he didn't take any hesitation to stabbing Krauser's mutated arm from behind. Krauser growled like an enraged animal as the needle penetrated his thick hide; he barely acknowledged the meddling doctor and started swinging out violently in reaction, sending the good doctor twenty feet in the air.

_---X---_

* * *

_--X--_

When a man gains power by unfair methods, he doesn't think of the consequences of his actions, because it is the now and the present that counts for everything. It was the case for Wesker. At least for awhile, but even the aftermath of taking everything, what was he left of?

Devoid of a conscience, and the ability to understand the two types of people: the good and the bad. Nothing was stark plainer to see where he stood when he and Birkin had looked at the test subject - a female in question that brought a nagging guilt that was particularly unwelcoming. It was the first time he felt a tug of that conscience. He didn't care about the rest of the S.T.A.R.S. team; he didn't give a goddamn about any of them because they didn't possess the same level of understanding.

They're all pathetic do-gooders who couldn't realize the extent of pursuing technology and enhancing a human being to become better than a machine. Machines die out and are easily prone to malfunctioning. The pathetic walking dead were only a means to cause distraction and spread pandemonium. Now, a living human with all their functions operating, possessing unique sequences of DNA, that was different. The only problem is to take away the morals and thought patterns that make them who they are.

But among the people he had known, he knew that Ada had a little of that conscience in her, _always_ – maybe that's why he saved or kept her. She had the ability to switch off that conscience, to value things that even heroes like the annoying save the day Chris Redfield or naïve Government Agent Leon and their strong ethics are brought up to understand.

What did he say to her when he told her to kill Leon, that no matter what, no one from the Raccoon city incident must live? Even if Leon wasn't in the heart of that particular event, he had ordered Ada to kill off Leon and Saddler when the aftermath destroyed one of them.

She could – when given directions from a higher authority to complete her mission, follow them unquestioningly and be a cold blooded killer. He knew that. Ada could without flinching take out an enemy straight in the eye; her sniper rifle's telescopic sight dead on to her victim's forehead. Admiration crossed his face to see how lethally deadly she can be, seeing as he's seen her in action quite a few times.

So why were his thoughts being sifted, touching parts of what he thought of Ada Wong? Even visions of his personal relationship with Ada didn't seem to faze the woman, because she didn't sense any love; there wasn't any deeper tie to the act of sex. It was like eating a delicious meal, and even he – Albert Wesker, did this act as a way to possess his colleague. There were a few moments where she paused, felt a sting of resentment cleave through her as Neveah sensed something more than just possession. It was losing that control in his mind that unnerved her.

Neveah plunged in deeper, trying to find what he felt about his working partnership with Ada, and reproachfully enough_, nothing more of significance_………this calmly satisfied her for some odd reason. He would have laughed if he could, but numbed into submission, her folding embrace suffocated him like a razor sharp tentacle wriggling under the surface of his skin, tapping into his spinal cord – that's how she could pull out his memories, scan through his cortex to find thoughts and meanings of his relationships with people.

Satisfied, she continued on, looking for the formulas, looking for anything to piece together what information he kept deeply locked inside. He buried them, pushed a plate of their first meeting to her vision of pillaging; tempted beyond anything to understand………..Wesker was so possessive of his secrets that not even her pathetic version of a mental crowbar to a heavily secured platinum tank of a mind could do a single dent.

In a mind war struggle, he would push dishes of her conceit and visions of distractions that involve her in some way or indirectly mocks………if there's one thing he knew about people like her, it was the understanding of their overdeveloped ego, and feeding it would therefore release him of this troublesome woman. He'd inch her away from his secrets, throwing her tidbits of his past – intriguing the sorry creature further with more succulent forays of interaction between him and his former love of things that don't concern him anymore.

She was, as expected, surprised to find that Wesker had possessed feelings…..in his past; her greedy mind soaked it up, taking and sucking like a starved woman for that tree of knowledge. One of her vine-like arms touched up like a wet sticky tongue to lick her lips, glorifying the emotions Albert gave her – the first time he had ever fallen in love…..

Distracted, her protective shield slowly went down, releasing Wesker bit by bit, ebbing away like a tide pushing out back to the ocean. He could feel it, sense it, even a man who possessed no emotion, no regard for human life, could still understand many things……..for _survival. _

--X—

* * *

A dark cloud had engulfed her; she didn't know how long she had faded in and out of consciousness… 

She didn't know how long death would finally embrace her, or how long time had past. She was only angry at herself for being a stupid fool that her ambitions all this time had failed. That was the one consolation she had been looking forward to. She didn't make it to her damned carefully planned objectives and this highly tee'd her off, and she doesn't often get angry either, no way, not this woman. Instead of feeling emotionally wrought and that at this crucial moment should be thinking of death and praying for vigilance – she was simply _annoyed_.

Besides, it wasn't the first time she felt this way...

" Ada!" She heard a voice call her name harshly, jerking her body up, " Ada! Don't fall asleep on me now, dear heart." He hissed through his teeth, and she – going through semi-consciousness wanted to tell him she's fine, that he didn't need to fuss over her, or rather get angry that she was acting like a weak individual. The words he said next started to fade, as everything started to go black……….

--X—


	16. Death's door

VIX

* * *

Every step he took was measured, closing the space between him; the window looking into the room where she lay in a secured room on a pristine bed looked like it belonged in sickbay. As he peered into the enclosed room, he placed his hand on the glass, leaning his forehead on to the cool surface. Lifting an arm to hang it above his head, he raised his other hand to rub his tired eyes beneath the sunglasses. Taking a deep breath, Wesker held it there, as if for a moment, then silently, with some contemplation, watched the sleeping woman across the room. 

He had treated everything in his life as a test subject. It was rather foreign to him to feel anything more of an attachment, but he was attached in some odd way and wondered if Neveah's influence on his mind had tampered much of it.

Wesker's been here before, long ago, when Ada was on the brink of death. She was presumably dead, and he had carried her limp body away from the scene back in Raccoon City. He had given her a special serum, took her to his own laboratory, taking measures to revive her back to health. Ada Wong worked alongside him from the beginning, had been all too aware of the complicated relationship with John; he knew that a woman like her, especially in her line of business couldn't allow herself to fall victim to any crippling emotion. She was not like other women, not like Birkin's useless neurotic, but loving wife, or like Claire - Chris's annoying ball of sunshine sister, not to mention that equally good girl Jill.

One thing he learned about Birkin's wife though, she loved Birkin _too_ much and William enjoyed her doting attention. It was what he, as a silent observer studied in his former colleague that William succumbed to love and family. Oddly enough. As renegade scientists, the Birkins followed each other _till death do they part_, to their own corrupted demise.

Wesker would make sure he didn't end up the same way as all the others.

As for Ada's personality in comparison, she was a _professional_. How many times had he typed up a report on her that he found her invaluable, found her useful because she lacked the vapid sentimentality that they all had? At the present, she lay there, lifeless, the small steady breathing of her chest was the only indication that she indeed was….._alive._

No matter what, he wanted her to live. He straightened, pushed the bridge of his sunglasses up and walked steadily inside the room. Wesker approached her bed quietly, stopping only a few inches to look down at her sleeping form. Reaching out gently to touch her arm, he studied the paleness of her skin and the noticeable pallor in her cheeks. He would have to inject something in her again to give her vitality. She had lost a lot of blood during the struggle.

She stirred slightly.

" Ada?"

His voice was unrecognizable. It was on the verge of anxiety.

Clearing his throat, he sat down on the bed, taking her hand in his gloved ones.

Her eyes fluttered open, and a low moan escaped her lips.

"Good to see you're finally awake. I thought I'd have to find another emissary to take your place. Good employees are hard to find."

He was back to that dry business-like tone; the same ole' Wesker, and she's sure that he's quite comfortable with.

"Well look what the _devil _brought in."

Ada's languid and satisfied look unarmed him; her tongue dripped honey sarcasm, indicating that she was more than well in spirit. "Wesker, I do believe you have my hand? Are you going to take more tests or draw blood from me?"

"No need for old practices..." He snorted; an easy smile on his lips. "And, don't you mean what the _cat dragged in_?"

"Yeah… _me_." She countered.

Looking down, he awkwardly patted her hand, slightly grinning. "That's my girl." He sounded coldly amused, despite the fond title. "Your recovery should be immediate after I inject some antibiotics and a special serum for you."

"No."

"No?"

She raised herself up, screwing up her face from the slight pain; her waist covered up the wounds in a swathe of bandages.

"Wesker, no more injections or special serums you secretly have to give me 'strength', if you don't mind."

"You have no choice. I'm going to go administer them into you after you eat."

Ada looked at her surroundings, remembered how she was in this almost similar room when he had saved her the first time. "What happened to Neveah?"

"Let's just say…I took care of her."

"You killed her?" Her dark eyes looked directly at his; she can see through his shades and make out his golden eyes.

"Not exactly." He frowned. "But she's in let's just say, hibernation."

"What happened? Tell me."

"I'll write up a report and you can read it while you're resting to recover."

"And Krauser?"

"I haven't the clue. When I got to you, I found you passed out. I thought you were dead."

"Pity I wasn't huh?" A tug of a smile tugged the corner of her lips.

"Dr.O'Neil was the one who found me and took me to you."

"Huh?" She snorted. "How'd that happen?"

"Apparently, he had been watching you fight Krauser. I'll type up a full report on what went on with you two, although I can hazard a guess from my deduction and from O'Neil's account."

"Good. I'd like to know what happened to Dr.O"Neil."

"You'll be glad to know he's still alive." He stood up; he looked like he wanted to leave.

Ada turned her head away from him; her eyes avoided him. She's now staring quietly out the window.

He took this as his leave to go.

The silence brought a huge gap between them. "I'll be at my lab and return after your meal is sent down."

"Wesker..."

"Yes?" he was at the door, his hand on the door handle.

"I would like to talk to Dr.O'Neil again."

"If that satisfies you, then you should find him when you've recovered fully."

He closed the door with a loud click.

Her eyes finally closed, dark lashes fanned over the tops of her pallid cheeks. She needed to get a hold of the agency right away.

Ada didn't understand why they hadn't checked up on her, but then again…..

* * *

_-X- _

During the time of her healing, he had covered important things with his personal associations, closing the files between himself and Dr.O'Neil, along with the confined Neveah. He didn't even have time to think about Ada's condition as he fulfilled his tasks by visiting other parts of the world, under the cover of his influence. It was necessary to keep the major pharmaceutical companies at bay. They in turn were satisfied with the information trade he was able to procure, and provided that Neveah was under wraps under their jurisdiction, it kept Wesker out of his hair and out of the picture for awhile.

Wesker's influence and long term relationship with the giant pharmaceutical corporations was crucial to him. They had been overjoyed to learn about the new experiments that Dr.O'Neil and his daughter were conducting for quite some time. He hadn't stopped thinking about resurrecting Umbrella once. Nor did he wait for _her _to heal.

He typed up his report during that time as well and placed two copies, one for himself and one labeled in a private manila envelope addressed to Ada Wong.

Not surprisingly, Ada had healed quicker than he thought. It pleased him immensely. When he heard news that she had recovered and was on her way out of his facility, he called her up to his office to celebrate before she left….and discuss about the past events. She was hesitant at first, the quiet breathing of her answer made him impatient via PDA, and he ordered her to come up anyway.

A ghost of a smile touched her face as she closed the communication.

In the enclosure of Wesker's luxurious office, above the city, the suite of his penthouse overlooked tall buildings and the view of the ocean. He closed off the light from the window with a flick of his remote control, a dark metal sliding door acted as a curtain to enfold them in the swathe of little light.

Ada turned to stare instead at the panoramic screen; she watched the satellite take in what was left of Madre-falls. The mother isthmus sporting a phallic outline had pretty much blown a hole through, and has now sent private government officials to run amuck at the evidence left there.

Of course, this was going to be one of those 'cover-ups' like they did for Raccoon City, except on a lower covert scale. It wouldn't do to have the public know about the connections of planetary findings with a sanctioned research facility that victimized humans for testing. And naturally, many of the victims were volunteers, but that didn't matter to the general public. They'd find a way, especially the media to take discourse action and form hate groups against the government.

Being ignorant for the most part was better for the masses in this case. Some people were not just ready to understand for fear of violent reaction. Just the sheer fact that the government was involved, sanctioning this type of research, despite not being aware of Dr. O'Neil's experiments - it'd cause scandalous results. Plus the deal with his daughter's condition, confirming unethical procedures would terribly fulfill the media's thirst for twisting information against them.

The public would eat it up like a starved man on his last meal, and on his way to death row. They both knew it.

In the quiet atmosphere, he turned off the screen.

He offered her a glass of an expensive beverage, with ice; they clinked in the silent large room. She took it, their hands touched briefly and her eyes automatically cast an appreciative look at him. Wesker looked damned good, she admitted, and though she never did care for his lack of ethics – she had to come to the conclusion that hers weren't that close to Leon's either. She didn't often drink, but it was time to celebrate in her own little way. Anticipation tingled in her veins as the thought of his strong hands roamed her body.

"Thinking about _him?_"

His deceptively calm voice cut through her thoughts. She blinked. _If he only knew_.

"As a matter of fact – yes and no."

Inclining his head once, he pushes back the sides of his blond hair smooth move of his gloved hand, silently folding his arms as if to acknowledge her words without reply.

"I was thinking of you…" She confesses this to him as if it were something essential.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Was it dare?

Wesker wasn't really sure. But as a man with the renaissance of knowledge and philodox belief running in his veins, he would have to find out the only way he knew with her.

She was close enough to touch.

He relaxed against his right leg, while the other bent; his foot flat against the desk. Leaning his body back, he just simply stared at her with his arms folded, looking like the picture perfect of a man relaxed and untroubled despite what nearly happened to him.

His eyes roamed to her small waist, noticed the belt around her that held her magazines in place. "You're not on duty you know." Looking questioningly at her eyes, he considered her for a moment, the pretty dark exotic eyes he's become quite accustomed with, to the point of knowing her moods.

"I thought I'd take this opportunity since I'm completely healed to take my vacation." She sent him a lazy smile back; her hooded eyes carefully studied his body, felt the crackling tension in the air. Maybe it was because she had helped him, because he did the same – to the point that it was getting to be quite bothersome.

It's amazing how much they were alike, right down to their closely related thoughts of disdain and admiration.

One of these days, she told herself, she'll just let him rot in his own ambitious pursuit, and she wouldn't have to feel like a lapdog serving her master. Nor would she feel the guilt overweighing her mortal soul if she didn't somehow save his hide. Pretending to work for him or not, he was too corrupt, and frankly she didn't want to involve herself in that world anymore. She wanted to be a changed woman. Not the woman she was_. Was it too much to ask for a decent life that didn't surround herself with deceit? _

Lost in her distraction, she had only become aware of his fingers looping around her belt loop, pulling her near. She had ended up too close, felt the rapid rise and fall of his breath touching her exposed neck, lips barely touching along her collar bone. She felt a shiver of apprehension as his deft fingers slid gradually up along her arms, coming up to gently hold the side of her face.

His ungloved fingers dug into the feathery raven strands, and playfully touched the silky texture; he stared at her half closed eyes for a moment then dipped downward to gaze at wet parted lips. A swallowed noise, a gasp from her surprisingly turned him on. She closes her mouth momentarily, only to nervously flick out a tongue to lick her lips.

Wesker was a man with a strange personal charm; he knew this in his arrogant way. Even if he could never commit, she would always have this strange affection for another man. Ironically, he had something more from her even if it wasn't the kind of affection she reserved for Leon. This should have brought a pang of bittersweet draught on his soul, but he didn't have time to think of souls. As he leaned in to capture her pretty mauve colored lips, he was met with tiny resistance; she tried effortlessly to push him away as her hand planted solidly on his chest. But his hands had already moved downward, squeezing the curvy indention of her waist gently. Taking the aggressive initiative, he continued to roam her slender back, locking her in position.

"Wesker…." She started.

"Mmmm?" He mumbled, his lips grazing along her shoulders, not stopping till he found the tops of her breasts, causing her to shiver despite herself.

"Now that I'm completely healed. I'm leaving."

"Yes, I know."

She closed her eyes, opened them once, fluttering them back shut as he moved his ungloved hand to cup the fullness of her breast, lifting gently, kneading softly.

"Wesker…" she bit her lip; her hips were being pushed up against his, she could feel his aching arousal against her mound, causing an alarm of painful longing through her.

"It's Albert….remember?"

"No…I can't." She shakily whispered, ashamed at her own voice.

"Can't?" He replied lazily, the deep timbre of his voice unnerved her. "Or won't?" he lifted a dark blond brow questioningly, taking off his sunglasses.

His other hand had wandered over to her fine ass and squeezed it softly, pushing her against him.

She looked into his cat-eyes, the pupils had widened to normalcy in the dimness of the atmosphere. His breath was sweet, and o' so close to her mouth, and she was suddenly reaching up with a trembling hand to touch the hard lines there. She found herself reaching up to his lips, tentatively tracing her fingers along his bottom lip until he took them away. He dipped his head to take her mouth, pushing his tongue into her parted lips.

The whispered hush of material fell around them in a heap and she had opened herself again, kissing him back as badly as he needed it. Kissing him was like hot fire and ice, her tongue played against his, teasing, capturing, sucking.

" Ada…." He roughly groaned, "I – …"

Words were lost in the heated embrace, and the silent agreement between them hung in the sweet musky air. Eagerly, he pushed her back onto his desk, spreading her long legs, only stopping to touch the hot heat beneath his grazing masculine fingers. Spanning them along her inner thighs to find what he was looking for.

He kissed her body all the way up until he reached her beautiful breasts. Her head went back as a moan escaped her parted lips. She dug her fingers into his arm while her other hand pushed his head down to take a pert nipple into his hot mouth.

As she took him in her, they uttered a low groan, and after adjusting easily to their positions, he took her over and over again, pushing into her with powerful thrusts until she had to cry out in pain.

After both climaxing, he parted from her body, and she was left there feeling cold air upon her skin, kissing her bruised flesh awake. An aching loneliness filled her. As the cool air caressed her skin, it sent prickly bumps along her exposed flesh. Ada became aware of her hard breathing. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly as she laid her hand over them, feeling slick wetness and the smell of his sweat.

She could hear him pick up his clothing, pulling them up to secure them, but as she raised herself up and gritted her teeth, her sharp husky voice stopped him.

"Had enough?"

"Problem?" He picked up his sunglasses to put them on. "I thought you enjoyed it as usual."

"Not really." It was a flat out lie, but she was irritated, more so that she had no will power when outside their personal relationship, she possessed so much of it. When emotions are in the way, a person can't think or function logically.

"Really?" He smoothly remarked, arching a dark blond brow. "Would you like another demonstration? And while I'm at it, tell me why your need for moaning and crying out for me to go harder and faster was necessary?"

Not only was his remark alarming, his dark laughter subsequently astounded her into action, wanting to swipe off that wry grin away from his lips.

Pushing off of the desk, she sedately walked up to him.

"It isn't satisfactory enough. What do they say? Test the theory out again and again, using different approaches until facts are concluded and logged?"

His eyes widened in mild astonishment. He didn't know if she said this to shock him or to question her motives, but whatever the case, Wesker couldn't grasp it. She would never ever initiate it. It was always he, always a touch or a glance, something to gently coerce her to accept.

Wesker wasn't a fool to realize that she was attracted to him in an odd sort of way, else why would she accept willingly? Perhaps it was because of the nature of their relationship, never attached, yet, dangerous enough to be exciting. But after the walls of their mutual lust went down, they could resume to their usual business partnership. That's what he needed from her. Any other person would have been _too affecting_, attached, and _too inconvenient. _

She was too much like him, except for her ability to feel affection in Leon's case. He should have taken care of Leon long ago, have him killed. When he asked Ada to go on the mission to follow Jack Krauser, he knew what risk he was taking, knowing that the Government agency would send Kennedy to retrieve the President's daughter.

_It was the ultimate test. _

Ada believed it was to keep an eye on Jack Krauser. Wesker knew that sending Ada along for the ride had many _many _purposes. That was what he was_…. a brilliant scientist after all_. And in testing out that theory, he had to find out what Ada would do. He knew that Krauser was unsteady, that if he got restless, Ada could take care of him.

But Leon was another matter. His gut instincts were as usual, correct.

So now, he had her here, knowing everything about her. Even right down to her deception. If he were an emotional man, he'd kill her out of anger, and because what she did was a blow to his pride. But he wasn't. She didn't understand how much he understood her.

A prickle of desire spiked through him again.

"Normally, I'd like to get back to work, but….…" His predatory eyes gazed admiringly at her lovely figure, taking in her beautiful nudity while smugly enjoying the temporary possession of her. Ada wasn't shy about many things, in fact_, hardly ever_, and she's clever, aggressive in a non threatening way….

As he reached out, his strong hand grabbed her waist, dropping his fingers to the curve of her back above her round ass. He dragged her closer, leaning down to hungrily kiss her bruised lips.

She moaned out a name against his searching lips while her eyes fluttered half closed; her hands greedily slid up to stroke the nape of his neck, playfully touching his hair.

Ada couldn't help but be thankful to him again, for saving her life; her objectives meant everything to her.

In the back of her mind, she knew she'd leave him, go back to her organization and send him a farewell gift. Sometimes, having to switch off emotions can be dangerous. She didn't remember if she had moaned out his name or another…….

* * *


	17. No Butterflies for the Lady

-17-

* * *

In the recent past, before finding out about the important illuminados, and the activities in Spain where a certain religious cult had formed a powerful research to procure a way to control people, Wesker knew that one day he'd find out how Ada felt for Leon. It has been a long six years, and his time with Ada had been on and off….._very satisfactory_.

When he had saved her life, he wanted to give her more than her own spirit and body back. Wesker couldn't in his dark soul give her a serum that would somehow manipulate her DNA, twist and warp her mind so that she was no longer recognizable. Instead, she was who she was – a trained assassin and one he dearly found rather…..intensely fond and possessive of. In his reports of her, he had mentioned that a Spy must never ever have emotions interfere in their objectives. So opposite from Birkin's wife - who was intensely emotional.

It was a good thing Ada took care of Annette without any emotion whatsoever. Just as he, being an associate with Birkin, didn't have any care in the world when William died. He knew that Umbrella was going after Birkin and he would die for it. In the meantime, he'd wait in the wings for their arranged deaths until he got the experiments from under their noses.

She had uttered his name in his arms. Needless to say, he was more than relieved. A sense of possessiveness and pride overwhelmed him. How many times had he heard her whisper Leon's name? One of these days, he would find out how she would react when she saw Leon after all these years. It didn't take long to find out...the new mission to retrieve the Plagas in Europe was the** first step**. Leon S. Kennedy was now working for the Government to protect the President's daughter, and he sent Ada Wong on the mission.

Now, as he held her in his arms in the crepuscule of his room, the steady beating of her heart reminded him of how vulnerable she was. Despite her strength, despite her skill and recognizing that she would always come through in every mission she ventured. But he couldn't help but close his eyes and _remember……_

Ada had finally showed her true feelings about Leon to him, and just like before, she was harboring this _affection.…._

During the mission in Spain, Wesker had been scouting the area from his Satellite, found out the location where Luis Sera was hiding out and immediately contacted her. He had been watching the movements Ada had been scoping out, and not to mention, the unwanted Government Agent who happened to have bumped into her inside one of the Castle's bedroom.

An irritation filled him then. His black gloved fingers had moved steadily on the touch toned satellite reciever. Despite the surmounting agitation of these recent events, he had cloaked it well with a cool exterior. Truth to tell, he was inwardly fuming and had decided to take that opportune moment to warn Ada about Sera's whereabouts. He could remember her response when she had nonchalantly replied that Leon wasn't anything to worry about. All the Agent had to do was to secure Ashley out of the way and bring her home safely. That didn't bother Wesker at all at first, but after seeing Ada in the same vicinity with Leon, he had felt in his bones something was definitely wrong……just like last time.

"He has no idea what's going on. He's nothing we need to worry about." She had told him casually; the way she spoke to him in her husky honeyed voice – as if they were equals. No one but Ada could talk back to him the way she did. How she manages to shirk off many things that he himself ordered on for her to take action on.

"He's a survivor of Racoon City…we can do without the distraction. **Take. Him. Out**."

Wesker's command was stern, not in angry outbursts or suspicious in any way to Ada, but he had tried to remind her who was running the show. Telling her over and over again, how it was _'our'_ goal to retrieve the sample. Primary objective. Simple and Clear.

She on the other hand, wouldn't suspect anything otherwise but the same ole' Wesker, telling her to eliminate anyone snooping around. She didn't even bother to understand really, she was so conflicted….Ada would never ever take out Leon, not if her life depended on it.

At the moment, reminding himself of past events, his lips hardened in a thin line, chin set; a muscle ticked along his hard jaw and his breathing deepened. Wesker held her body close to him, an unwelcome agitation snaked through his normally cool surface.

What the hell was he thinking? Testing this theory out? He had told her, ordered her to eliminate Leon S. Kennedy, and she had replied in that sexy sensual voice of hers that Leon would be no trouble. Ah, but he was….he was……trouble. And there was no way in hell he'd allow Leon to live where Ada was concerned.

Sending Krauser to interact with Saddler was one thing, but he had sent Ada to keep an eye on Krauser as well as procuring the samples, just in case the greedy American renegade fell into the hands of the Plaga temptation. As much as Jack Krauser was a military soldier following orders, wanting to resurrect Umbrella to hide behind its power; Wesker knew too well that a man like Krauser would fall easily victimized to the allure of power in front of him. The favourable the benefits - the better for the American soldier. Ada would take care of things if he got out of hand, he was sure of it. That's his Ada, but at the same time, she was_ restless……_

_Didn't he give her everything?_ Didn't he save her life? Give her back the life that she was so willingly secure in? _He was resurrecting a New Umbrella for fuck's sake!_ The power that it held, he would want for nothing and she would want for nothing more……Didn't he give her back her independence and her life as a useful international spy with immunity?

The need to spout a thousand explicit curses nearly surfaced out of his cool exterior. He wanted to have Ada take out the _distraction _and she just ignored it. Remarkably, the act she did actually tore at his insides. _Irony at it's best_. He saves her life and she ends up saving Leon's. _What the fuck did the woman want anyway?_ He gritted his teeth, not realizing how much his body visibly tensed.

He could feel her soft body shifting next to him, her surprisingly soft hands skimming over his hard chest and her whispered moans of pleasure echoed in his ears. Feeling her long silky leg shifting languidly up over his, his golden eyes painfully closed. It was going to be a long night. In the morning she would be gone…..he knows….and he couldn't stop her if he wanted.

She was like a butterfly, free to roam wherever she pleased. It was a wonder that a scientist like him hadn't placed her in a laboratory study or in a museum. He chuckled despite himself, thinking that she would serve no purpose as a pretty display. Next to him, she stirred, her eyes fluttered open and he was there; his body against her lush form. It was then he could see her gray-green…..strange…she always had her thick lashes fanned over them, giving the impression she had dark eyes; her glassy eyes shyly hiding her true reflection, but Ada was never shy.

"Wesker…" she whispered huskily…her lips close to his. "I should get going…"

"Had you had a chance to read over the reports?" His business-like tone unnerved her, waking up her senses like a splash of cold water.

"I hadn't had a chance…."

"Funny…." He replied flatly, "I thought you'd be eager to find out about Dr.O'Neil and company."

Wesker got up and reached over to the nightstand beside the bed, taking something out from inside the drawers. "I have something for you then…"

He pulled out a packaged gift.

It was wrapped in the prettiest wrapping paper, designed in butterfly motifs with black and white prints. There was a silky feel to the butterfly design as she had quietly gasped, touching the smooth and satiny texture of the boxed gift.

"Wesker….another gift?"

She remembered the sunglasses he gave her, to replace the one she had used when she left Leon the first time of their meeting. He did this often - give her small things to remind her of what he meant to her….his property….

With trembling fingers, she hurriedly searched for a way to tear it apart, wanting desperately to find out but at the same time, fearful to tear anything so beautifully wrapped.

"What is it this time?" Her eyes were glazed like wet glassy grey orbs, but the tone of her cynical voice gave nothing emotional away. "Another weapon? A butterfly dress for me?"

"You know me too well…..I suppose I'm predictable to you."

"As a matter of fact, only when you buy me presents." She bit her tongue afterward.

Wesker finally shrugged; a quiet whisper from his lips. "Besides, I thought you should need it in case you come across any irregularity on your next mission…"

"I'm not going on any more missions, Wesker. I'm going on my vacation remember?"

"Just open it." His shadowed eyes glanced away.

As she tore it open, her eyes widened at the gift: A semi-shiny scarlet silky dress with butterfly motifs printed faintly on them. But it was the other things in the box that made her cry out. There were small trinkets of silver jewelry, all sparkling chains of butterflies on a bracelet. As she held them up, they winked back at her and the new watch was exquisite. A red and silver butterfly indented inside the glass where the small and long hand told time stared back at her.

"There's a device in them. A time bomb actually, where you can set the timer to use when you get into difficult situations. Not only that feature, but there's a tracking device as well." The serious deep timbre of his voice revealed nothing else.

"How quaint." She replied laconically, her once surprised look turning mildly amused_. What the hell did she think? Flowers and jewelry to adorn her? What the --?_ It was just like Wesker, to give her something to exalt her femininity and later use it for something extremely_ practical._ There wasn't any way she was going to keep anything as a keepsake. They'd be use to kill and maim the enemy.

"You women like that stuff, don't you?" He got up out of bed and she boldly gazed at his fine sculpted ass. Sighing, she had to think clearly. It's not as if she hadn't had a chance to touch them already.

"You know, I could use another PDA." She added.

"Yours is just fine." And that was the end of that basically. He shrugged into his pants and walked up his closet; the sliding doors to his wardrobe automatically slid open, revealing the excellent set of black combat suits and fine up to date weaponry to his hearts content.

"How romantic…" The need to roll her eyes was great. Although, as she glanced back at her present, there was a faint smile gracing her lips as she held up the dress.

"Well, that's one thing I like about you, Wesker, your impeccable taste. You do know I love them stylish and classy…."

"I have a bra vest for you to wear underneath that dress just in case, to ward off any bullets. Although this one in particular would suit your needs as it is an upgraded version." Then uncharacteristically, he winked. "Don't worry, I know your size."

"Lovely." She hoped her voice wasn't too sarcastic.

He threw the reports at her; they landed on her lap over her gifts. He watched how her hooded eyes strayed up to him, noticing that he was now completely dressed in his dark suit, looking decidedly immaculate.

"You should take some time to read over the reports on Dr.O'Neil and Neveah. They should provide you with infinite amusement."

"Oh Wesker," A deliberate roll of her tongue. "You're the only amusement I could ever need and want."

Ignoring her, he started for the door. "I'll be in my office if you want to say goodbye…"

"If you're lucky."

But he didn't hear as he was already out the door.

"Bastard." She whispered in the empty room. Not a moment too soon, Ada was pushing aside the reports, warming a bit at the gifts before her. She had to close her eyes to stop the stupid tears that threatened to pour out. No one besides John had ever given her so much…._and he died_. Wesker's gifts weren't romantic, not in the least, but he gave her so much – her life for one.

Didn't she remember the day she came to? His deep voice echoed deep in her consciousness as she regained in and out of them? _I gave you back your life because you are important to me….work with me, and we'll bring Umbrella back to its former glory, better than before. _

And the time she had procured the sample plagas and he told her on the satellite screen: _All because of you, we're one step closer to achieving our new world. _

She didn't know if the tears that started spilling were due to her contempt of him, or the fact that she could never ever love a man who followed the path of corruption. Not when she was shown how truly admirable life was when she met Leon…

Her life was a string of deceptions. She had deceived John, deceived Leon, until finding out how true and noble he was….and now she's deceiving the great Albert Wesker.

All she ever wanted was her freedom.


	18. Reflection & Pain

-18-

* * *

As Wesker sauntered in the direction of his laboratory, he paused; the stark yawning silence of the hallway greeted him with sensor detected fluorescent lighting above. They clicked silently on, paving the path towards his private lab, and illuminating the sterile conduit. 

There was an overwhelming calm that greeted him; it was like this, he alone, always a silent vigilant observer. In comparison, he'd prefer the outdoors - the walks around the woods near his private facility. It helped piece his mind together for things he couldn't grasp, like the time he had come to the conclusion that he had limitations to his research.

That it was time to move on.

Not because he wasn't interested, but the fire in him to pursue that goal had flickered out. He wasn't interested in being the best anyway. That wasn't his nature. As competitive as he was in some instances, he was a spectator in a world that didn't realize its own disease. Wesker was, much to his amusement and honesty, interested more in how he got the upper hand over his clever over pompous rivals.

In the end, Birkin proved to be far worthier of a researcher than he or the other associates could ever be; becoming immersed in the project, William still found time to create a family. But he wasn't Birkin. They were _too_ opposite. While he, Albert Wesker enjoyed and reaped the benefits of those he deemed worthy to support his cause; Birkin on the other hand found it intrusive and a severe annoyance when someone challenged his intellect and abilities.

Annette provided the ample nursing, doting on Birkin's ego and cause, greedily giving him everything she had. They were the perfect match made in some kind of twisted and warped cold laboratory, tying the knot with lab coats on and smelling like chemicals and sulfur fumes. It was odd that he had come to this time of his life to recount the past. Because of Neveah's previous attempt at mind raping, he couldn't help but think that she had so much to do with the deliberate pull of his perception and the invasive desperation that he tried so hard to hold under control.

It's interesting that he had spent so much time with the researchers at Arklay for so long that when John, the new head researcher came into the fold, they were amused to say the least of the man's morals. John, he found out was Ada's boyfriend, and one who was obviously gifted in virology as well. Wesker noted how 'normal' John was and wondered how Ada could have fallen for him. He had the supercilious hypothesis that she never did. She proved again that she would fall for another like him…..and he'd come to the conclusion that the stubborn woman couldn't understand that she just wasn't meant to be happy with men along the same vein.

But then again, was he just thinking that because he wanted to have that perception?

When Neveah had attacked parts of his brain, she was adept in seeking that part of his mind, where he had met John for the first time. She had cackled in that cliché way of hers, finding fond amusement in Wesker's observation of John and the way Birkin's disinterest in the new Researcher was noted. William in those days_, well all the time_, had always taken his research seriously; not only that, but he was seriously a pain in the ass to be around with when Alexia was alive.

Birkin had complete contempt over the woman who had obviously surpassed him in intellect and ambition. Birkin had growled in that silent burly manner around other workers, and they silently mouthed behind his back at the surly disposition he exuded. Only Annette was able to pacify his burly temperament. Alexia on the other hand didn't give a damn either, she just merely laughed at William's childish taunts and simmering jealousy. It was a wonder Birkin even had the time to fuck Annette on the side.

The vision of John had come into Neveah's avaricious sucking psyche, like a LCD monitor held up in her greedy fingers the clear image of the Researcher came into view. John's regular features, the thick blond hair with low bangs was pulled back on the side. The new Researcher's somewhat innocent face with clear blue eyes had steadily looked into Birkin's and Wesker's eyes. He'd held up his hand to shake theirs in greeting and only Birkin took the offered gesture in his, albeit with some deliberate assessment of his character.

They had found later after meeting John that he would be the one to rat on their experiments. When John came upon the human experiments, he openly explained how unethical and highly unprofessional using these methods were. Ada had found out later that John was infected and had died. She didn't seem too serious with the relationship from what Wesker could conclude, while John was hopelessly in love.

That strangely pleased him.

Neveah had cut into his images then, ripping the visuals out of him, laughing into Wesker's mind, telling him in that disturbingly hushed multi-whisper of wind through a hollow tube that she found Wesker so endearing….

"Albert, you poor dear," her mocking voice cooed, "You never could find anyone to ask about your musings. You only had yourself didn't you? Oh darling, why didn't you find a woman to share those things with? Or a best friend? Not even your associates could find time for you, Birkin had his precious G-virus and his doting wife in whom he trusted and entrusted his vital information with…now…." She rasped. "Let me find out more of the formulas and research you've done in the past twenty years…and where you have things hidden…"

Her colorful drenched eyes salaciously widened from shock as he had given her something to think about, the part of his first meeting with his first love…

"Well well….Albert Wesker falling in love….how uncharacteristic of you...how human..."

She laughed, throwing her head back. Her fingers still digging into his body then, but he could feel his vital signs returning to normalcy, from the dead thudding of near unconscious to a steady normalcy.

Wesker could still think…and with that he had answered back arrogantly: _You like that, don't you, bitch? I'm sure you do, yeah, you wish that was you wasn't it? _Then he chuckled silently, but she heard every word and every mocking gesture.

She screamed then. Just as he expected. Her mind invasion unfurled as she had allowed a fraction of her guard down, her blood shot eyes mixing in with green pigments and her face moved along with the vines around her like Medusa's snakes.

A wide grin graced him as he took the open vulnerability; his body functions were set to go, using his thrust punch to slam against her, pushing all of his body from the release of her temporary hold to throw her into the vegetative throne. She didn't even scream as she was sent flying, and was recovering as he expected again….

He had jumped up; using the stolen super human strength he so richly deserved was his and scissor kicked her. In rapid response, he rashly pulled out his killer 7 and shot at all the annoying vines that started to attack. One by one they splattered, sap juices decorating the floors and creating smells of digested artichokes of rancid piss. And he snorted, annoyed by the fact that some of it got on his suit. The disgusting smells never disturbed him. As a scientist, he worked with worse. One had to have a strong constitution against such assaults.

"You're coming with me, Neveah…" He announced, over her semi conscious body, but she was looking up at him, with those pleading misty eyes.

"Albert….you'll never ever find anything to extract from me."

She had choked, puking out regurgitated green sap that looked like thick smashed spinach, strangely falling into a deep sleep afterward. The large leafy branches started to embrace over her body; noticing that she was protecting herself, he ground his teeth, his clenched fists showing the whites of his knuckles. "Oh, no, not this time!"

With his black sleek combat shoes, he stomped on the branches making their way to encircle her into a cocoon. Tearing it apart with several shots of bullets -they exploded it apart bit by bit; he made sure that her body was able for him to carry to his laboratory for research and to extract everything he could find her.

That's when he had heard Dr.O'Neil behind him.

Now, at the present, remembering what happened before he found Ada's body there; Wesker believed the worse; an irritation filled him then, as he couldn't believe that she allowed herself to get entrapped and left to die….he knew he'd save her again. He had the power to do so.

Looking around him, he had to force his thoughts away from the present pain…..and not fall into the same routine as before. He'd grown over the years to hone his strength, follow his direction and control the lower hemisphere of his brain where inferior urges which were prevalent in the B.O.W. and highly present in Lisa Trevor's young and untrained mind.

He was noted as the Tyrant from those ignorant around him, and thusly, he was quite amused by it all. While thinking, he had realized how much he had lost some time, taking a step to his intended course. His expensive black shoes clicking noisily on smooth sanitary polished floors echoed against the sound proof pristine walls and thick bullet proof glass.

The supercilious conduct Wesker exuded belied his inner chaos. Neveah brought him back to the former days when he had to stem his urges, fight the primordial behaviors and lower regions of the brain that only creatures worse than animals could radiate. He gritted his teeth, feeling the shudder release in his body as his mind felt sharp pains of Nevaeh's residue and influence. What had Dr.O'Neil planned? He felt it in his gut that he couldn't trust the doctor. O'Neil had started to plead his innocence, in which he desperately tried to beg Wesker of the reasons, suggesting he only wanted what was best for his daughter. Because isn't that what fathers do?

It was clear to Wesker that the doctor had lost it. He was familiar with those who were dubbed psychotic or every sense of the word. With O'Neil, he found with some chagrin that the doctor possessed some innocent quality. As if the scientist had curled back into his youth, keeping the zeal of his intellect intact; this kept the necessary procedure of his experiments unparalleled. It brought significant changes in Neveah's DNA, changing and manipulating strands of her sequence, even replacing them, which were quite probably not possible so readily in the future.

It started with a tickle in his throat, then reached to his nose, pinching there like a pair of clippers.

He coughed, bringing his fist up to his mouth, then he gagged; the effects of his mind started to wander, feeling the wave of intense sharp sting throughout his cerebral cortex. _Oh fuck, not again…_he visibly trembled. He leaned his black gloved hand flatly against the thickened glass to anchor himself. Doubling over, his other hand went over his chest; the heart beating a mile a minute, intensifying, pumping blood into his ears, his face, all the way up to his brain….then leaving it like a pulled plug draining everything….he remembered how it was before he had created a special serum strain to act as a counter.

It was one of the reasons why he was able to keep his human form intact. A super human power richly running in his veins was more than any man could dream of…..but it came with a price.

He could hear in the far off distance, whispers of people who talked about Albert Wesker, the former Captain of S.T.A.R.S; the former apprentice of Marcus, who naively had seen the great potential in him, but was stabbed in the back by that potential.

Wesker chuckled, sounding insane to his ears, but he didn't give a fuck, as he anchored his shaking body against the glass window. Fuck the fact that most people thought he lost his humanity. _What the shit was that all about_ and he started laughing….his laugh sounded foreign, spilling out of him; he moved forward to lean against the immaculate sterilized walls, inching down slowly when the pain continued to torment. _He was never human to start with_. A deep rich laughter answered him and he recognized it as his own. Shivering, he fisted his black gloved hands and forced his muscles to move.

_Fuck me!_ He had to get to the lab right away and find the dose to reverse this….damn that Neveah and her interference…. His eyes slowly closed as the walls appeared to fall around him as if he were on some primitive drug, like LSD; he heaved himself up, grinding his teeth. Wesker mutely pulled his sunglasses off, his gloved fingers delicately clutching them; they crumbled to the ground as he staggered forth, leaning on to the wall.

When he finally reached his lab, he kept holding on to anything solid, like an old man without his cane, and all he could feel was the tearing and ripping sensation that Neveah had influenced in him…it had left him scarred. The battle between them didn't last long, but it was those grueling long moments that left him bruised, tearing apart his cortex. Coughing spittle of blood mixed with his saliva, he heavily leaned his upper body on the counter,

His vision blurred; the irises of his eyes narrowed, then his golden pupils widened, closing and opening. They adjusted to the unnatural light in this room. Sweat started to trickle out of him and he stumbled toward the glass door to the operating room. There were various chemicals there that were kept for use if ever the need rose, but he thought he would never have to go through this again…..

Spotting the items he needed, Wesker woodenly moved around, felt the rise and fall of his chest and the deep inhalation he had to take in. Procuring a sterilized syringe, he had to inject himself hurriedly because it would enter his blood system fast before his vital signs increased; the pumping of blood slamming against his ears increased the pressure, making him shake. As he watched the chemical release inside him, pushing the fluid in, he noted that his arm had enlarged. Slowly, in degrees the muscles returned to normal, giving him back the needed steady breathing he so sought for in the last twenty horrific minutes.

After a moment or two on the pristine floor, he pulled himself up, and decided to go for a long walk in the woods.

It was the only place he could find solace.

* * *

-X-

Ada pulled out the manila envelope containing the documents about O'Neil and the facility. The arranged papers were there, clipped together neatly and professionally typed. This was the formal evidence, not including the PDA report that was attached. She clicked on the recorder and there were several stacked reports all on O'Neil's experiments, from the duration of the time spent on Madre-falls research facility as the head scientist there, unethical procedures used to the employees who have lost their lives. Their families of course would be contacted, but many of them have been single, with estranged families and perhaps that was why they were chosen.

Ada mused over the reports, recalling how the 'organization' she worked for were concerned over the immoral experiments being conducted on Arklay, or the way the test subjects had evolved from animal testing to human subjects. This was not any different and she breathed deeply, exhaling, blowing long silky dark bangs away from her face. She was thirsty. Looking around for a personal bar, she didn't find one in this room. How long had she lain there in her employer's arms being lazy and enjoying every minute nagged at her conscience. She enjoyed pleasure as much as the next person, but she had to concentrate at the task at hand. Wesker's austere and honest reports had jarred her back to what she was supposed to do.

She threw the covers aside, mindful of Wesker's bedroom, taking note to keep everything in order when she left. Spying the laptop on the desk near the window, Ada opened it up and knowing how Wesker was, she wouldn't find anything that was readily available for her spying eyes. She smirked and switched it on; typing in passwords that she had figured would be unpredictable. Getting a signal that said she was denied access, Ada took out the PDA that was in the envelope, turned it on; she ended up checking the drug databases, and translating the medical journals of Dr. O'Neil for the current competitor party she worked for.

Wesker isn't stupid, she knows that ….so why would he entrust so much on her? Why was he willing to give her information on these important matters? Had he forgotten, like he did before on her previous mission in Spain that she doesn't always follow his rules? The dark cloud of suspicion stabbed through her, and she was standing there in the middle of his resplendent room, on the soft carpeted floors, naked….when the idea struck her.

Strangely, she walked over to the window, which overlooked the grounds of his facility. Pulling aside the blinds, her hand against the cool surface, Ada looked out and a shiver ran through her body.

There walking along the grounds, under the partial cover of trees, in the direction of the woods was Wesker. He walked with his hands in his pockets, his dark sunglasses providing an artistic relief against the pallor of his skin and blonde hair.

Checking the PDA, she recklessly called her agency.

"Yes?" An indistinct voice answered.

"I'm going to bring you Neveah O'Neil."

"Excellent, Miss Wong. Then you know what to do."

Her dark lashes lowered, "Yes. She's as you know under the care of Dr.O'Neil in one of Wesker's corporate partners; a covert pharmaceutical company you all know connected to former Umbrella associates."

"Perhaps this is the time you'll need assistance." Came the leisure voice from the other line. "You'll also have to destroy or erase your messages once we're done here."

"Understood."

The PDA clicked off. Turning to the bed, she looked at her gifts. Taking a deep breath she went to the desk and found a pen and paper. Jotting something down in her fancy scribble, she was about to place the letter to her lips but realized she didn't have any lipstick on. They were wiped cleaned off from their previous heated kisses.

A faint bittersweet smile graced her lips.

Ada had read the entire report quickly and easily, even down to Wesker's detail with Neveah's persuasion on his mind and how he had managed to subdue the woman's influence.

In the note, she added:

_So who was your first love, Wesker?

* * *

_

_-X-_

Krauser woke up; his blood shot eyes flickered open to find himself staring up at the bright fluorescent light blinding him. He moved; a slow anger rose as he discovered to his irritation that he was in a complete binding. Silver metal bands sleekly held his body in place on a laboratory table. He was able to utter something, and it came out gibberish. He found again to his annoyance that he couldn't say anything coherent. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he turned his head away from the harsh glare, only to find his eyes on a couple of Researchers in white coats.

They moved towards him and he could hear one of them saying, "He's come to, Dr."

"Oh good, we should test out our subject while he is awake, to check his vital signs at a normal heart rate."

Krauser growled out, sounding like an caged animal backed into a corner, but all he could do was move his fingers as his feet were also bound in silver metal shackles. When he gets out of here, he swears he'll tear these white coats to pieces, and gut them slowly with his infected arm. He'd bide his time for now...

_-X-_

* * *

_a/n; sorry late, but i'm going on a short vacation. thanks again for being patient and keeping up with this!_


	19. Krauser & Return to the Falls

_a/n; a bit dark, this chapter..._

* * *

-19-

* * *

_-x-_

His kiss was explosive; the fiery electric surge went through her body like a fierce white-hot lightning without the heavy water getting in the way. Light as air with wings that brought her the liberty that she craved for, it was only a matter of circumstance and timing.

That's what she remembered of Leon's kisses. Ada brought her fingers up to her swollen lips, her other hand pushed back the soft feathery strands of her dark hair. If all went well with her espionage, her working with the organization and Wesker – it would bring her that freedom. Not that working with Wesker wasn't entertaining to say the least.

She found that falling for someone, anyone would prove fatal. So why was she a dupe again when it came to Leon S. Kennedy? When she saw him in Spain, it was rather nice...having not been in contact with him for so long, it brought fresh reminders of what little time they had. He was a rookie cop and she was ordered to spy on him. It was like taking candy from a babe, _really_, with her being two years older and experienced. It was not a wonder Wesker valued her immensely, she is, sophisticated in the art of deception, intrigue, and knowledgable that would make any organization proud to have her as an ally.

Krauser really didn't have a chance with her. Until she thought she could turn her back on him.

Even with the sudden reminder of Leon, the present scent of Wesker's tantalizing mix of faint cedar cologne -a masculine touch of oakmoss, sandalwood and the strange tang of sterile linen lab coats clung to her senses. This didn't bode too well for her peace of mind. A feverish response stabbed her. Her faithless muscles curled in ribbons in her abdomen. These kind of 'feelings' would have made an inexperienced girl want Wesker like an addictive drug; but in Ada Wong, this only made her angry. She wasn't the type to get fussed over such trivial things.

She gritted her teeth and her hands had curled in fists for a moment. Then she quietly relaxed; she inched around the room to pick up her clothes in easy languid moves. _Think of your objective_. _Objective. Objective………Shut out all your annoying emotions. _

_Remember what Wesker is, what he will do, what he has done. Nothing in this goddamn earth can make you fall for that man ever. Remember that, Wong, or you'll regret seeing the sun without running for the shadows. It was easier for you when you were with John wasn't it? Was it Kennedy's fault? Or the life-saving Wesker who looked you candidly in the eye and said he needed you more than that simple minded Kennedy? _

Ada shivered. Wesker was cruel. Saying things to her that -_ Kennedy didn't bother to go back to find your body, or care to save you...did he?_ Maybe to another person it wouldn't have sounded cruel, but a stark truth; however, she knows that Wesker taunted her with that information in that usual dry casual tone. As if he didn't care...

She kept her belief in the Leon's character; she knew he would have, if he had the power to save her...

Being severely injured and left to die, it was Wesker who caught her, like a caterpiller caught in a net. She would have thought the analogy of a butterfly would have been appropriate as she looked over at the gifts Wesker gave her. She hadn't changed until after her near death experience, but she was changing...and her partner knew it.

There was a bit of time to find Dr.O'Neil, find him and get Neveah. It was no concern of hers if Wesker decided to be the fool. It wasn't the first time he chose to look the other way when she went after Krauser to stop Leon's death.

And it won't be the last either.

* * *

_-X-_

It's no surprise that Jack Krauser despised being a guinea pig; no matter how much he'd be generously compensated. And as much as some people thought he was lacking in the mental department, he wasn't a complete idiot to know that there are those unfortunates who ended up as a sad test study. They would be better off deader than a doornail than living and breathing through whatever orifices they sucked air from. Stories not for the bleeding heart like those of Lisa Trevor came to mind for one.

When Wesker helped him to gain his status back, he was in complete control of his mental capabilities, or more so his physical and high constitution competence. That's why he, Jack Krauser was only too eager to take Wesker's order; to be the one to face Saddler and his religious cult - unafraid, and being physically confrontational. He had a no nonsense approach to bargaining. It was either get in good graces with your enemy to get the goods or shut the fuck up and die.

And if that didn't work, then kidnap the president's daughter. Of course, he had orders to do so. But the trick worked enough for him to be in good standing for the future of Umbrella. Krauser had to admit to himself that Saddler's offer was heaven sent to a guy like him...a _Plagas_ that gave him power, but power enough to hone it. He didn't like the idea of becoming one of those mindless Ganados; yet, the ugly cult leader assured him that it depended on the host.

Having less faith in humanity, he did possess a few rules of his own; even in his usual less than honorable and principled attitude about things. Truth to tell, he didn't give a flying fuck if these assholes in white lab coats went and killed every embryo from a mother's womb to use for their test study. That's how much he _really_ cared, but shit, if he was going to be examined on without written permission, that was entirely something else! Being ego-centric definitely helped matters, and so the hell what!

Right now, as the soon-to-be-dead scientist slowly approached him with a syringe in his hand, he wasn't going to just lay there like a lump on a log so he reacted and struggled violently. Of course this was to no avail. He heard the startlingly soft spoken voice from the descending doctor coming at him with that awfully long and pointed needle. If the situation wasn't so real, it'd be ridiculous to the point of being in one of those really bad B horror flicks,

"Now, now, Mr.Krauser, these are really heavy duty metal bindings you've got on."

There was a glimpse of a wicked grin on the doctor's face. Thoughts of skewering that awful smile off the doctor's face was all Krauser could fantasize about, and those visions went ebbing away as the sharp sting of the needle, which by the way, to his disgruntled observation was larger than normal.

_What the fuck?_ _That's a syringe large enough for an elephant!_ But those coherent thoughts started to shrivel like a ninety year old man by the wayside as his world went in a kind of dizzy trance. Small glimpses of his rational capabilities were still desperately trying to hold on, growling inwardly to fight the fight. _He was a goddamn soldier!_ He was stronger than this, and with some effort, one of the silver metal bindings at his left ankle broke, creating a noisy chink that alerted the doctors.

"Restrain him!" The doctor by Krauser's arm yelled. "If he gets out of this, god help us!"

The hydraulic operating table shifted as the former soldier tried to extricate himself out of his quandary; there was a sensation that ripped through his body as the doctor near him injected him again with what obviously knocked him into a state of suspension.

He could hear the voices again….but they were evaporating in the sparse sickening sanitized air; the distinct cry of awe echoed as they exclaimed over his arm, which without Jack's knowledge, had started to manifest. His blood pumped through purple capillaries and thickened veins, sending messages to his brain to shut down. The mocking racket of a double chambered heart beat stridently against the walls of his eardrum, cutting off anything else….…..and slowly, the last muffled tone of the doctor's apparent displeasure of how he wanted the infected American to be cognizant during the _modus operandi_….and it was quite disappointing.

* * *

_--X---_

Deep within the alcoves of the Madre-falls Research facility, there existed a few stray organisms buried deep within the rich soil; it was only a matter of time before the government sent their teams down to investigate after the explosion. A team of scientists were also there to investigate. There were the usual procedures to go through to cover up so as not to go public, and to waylay the greedy ventures of ambitious journalists who happen to catch a whiff of the unusual events that connected itself to the government and renegade scientific studies.

Dr.O'Neil had devised a method to secure the mutations from spreading unnecessarily; these private experiments had lasted a certain amount of time, as most researching was. Not much left was of poor Neveah, and O'Neil grieved a little for his daughter. In fact, he had grieved long ago when she had demanded to be part of the study. As this was the only way she could find revenge on Albert Wesker.

Being the doting father he was, it was only too obliging; Neveah was very unhappy and seeing her ecstatic obsession over this brought a fresh surge of pride in him. She had praised her father for the long enduring nights he had spent on the Falls Facility, despite it all; despite that his colleagues had seen him as a weak willed individual, with perhaps the acknowledgement that he had potential to tap into something grand - this only furthered his fuel for the unethical act. There was a little bit of self-worth in him; a promise that he could do something greater for the history of science. But his first priority was his daughter's happiness.

Now, the remaining bits and parts of her were secured in a high security tank filled with nutrients to keep her alive, if that was what he could call it. Dr.O'Neil's plea to stay out of Wesker's end of the boot to the face brought a renewed dislike of the man. He respected and feared Albert Wesker. Yet at the same time, he was growing restlessly tired of the fact that the man refused to give out vital information that would therefore benefit the entire human race. It was an irritating salt on the wound, especially to his scientific soul, and keeping those tidbits out made him want to work against the former researcher.

He would have to inquire more on Miss Ada Wong in the near future. She seemed to have some sort of private contempt over the man; however, he would have to be careful. The lovely spy and Captain Wesker appeared to be in a personal war that they themselves haven't grasped. How much would the lady in question be given the chance to go against Wesker? The stakes were all in the matter of money - _wasn't it?_ He couldn't figure out Miss Wong's game. It was easier with the big American who bullied him around; an obvious insatiable need for 'power' and liberal-minded conquests were the only things that brute wanted. Miss Ada wasn't into power, the doctor could see that and there was something blind Wesker couldn't see……though he as a man who had loved his deceased wife knew…..

It was time to get in contact with the intriguing spy.

--X—

* * *

Ada briefly scanned over the reports again to find something she had missed. Cursing silently under her breath, she knew she had missed something……and _found it. _

Anything with Wesker meant that there was an ulterior motive in why he would give her all this information at her lap.

As she pulled on her clothes, her eyes strayed over to Wesker's shower room. _God, what'd she'd give to get a nice shower right now, _to at least wipe off the smell of sex off her person. Common sense won out and Ada leisurely entered his lavish shower room.

-X-

* * *

From an aerial view, the helicopter pilot could see the black hole of destruction from below; the once vegetative peninsula turned out to be nothing more than a blackened forest after the funeral pyre that plagued every living creature.

He waited for the rest of the crew to make their way the ladder. The music blaring _Whatever by Godsmack– _thumped steadily in his ears helped him forget the noisy blades cutting through the air above him. _A goddamn circus this was,_ he thought with disdain, glancing at all the lab coats and the investigative team making their way to a virtually decrepit piece of what looked like an island of barbequed charcoal. Bits of pieces of shrubbery, giving off the faint recesses of what used to be a beautiful paradise made him snort. _Freaking scientists and their poking into business that wasn't theirs. _

But he kept his mouth shut, because he was getting paid generously after all.


	20. Remember!

**-20- **

FLASHBACK

-x-

* * *

-+ 

"You have my word that I won't harm your little intrusive spy." Saddler told him, a deep chuckle accompanied the statement and with it a hidden innuendo. "But if she interferes, what must I do? There are consequences for her action if she does stick her nose in my personal business."

"Just make sure you don't let anything happen to her…" Wesker intoned with an underlying murderous warning.

Saddler smiled, inclined his head at the man with the shades. They were talking by satellite, and insomuch that Saddler was wont to take Miss Wong's pretty hide and inject her with the _plagas_, it wouldn't serve any purpose to him if he brought wrath upon the man who helped fund many of these events to take place.

True, Saddler had his resources, and one of them was his boy Salazar; it was easy to manipulate the kid, really, as he was eager to please his master and bring a new world order. How easy it was for a greedy little fellow like Salazar to swoop at the opportunity like a greedy vulture waiting for a dying meal. The old monies accumulated from a long line of Salazar's degenerate blood ironically helped set up the production of the _plagas._

But this wasn't enough…he needed researchers and professional people. Hiring that vagrant Researcher Luis Sera was one step; this step would help procure the major samples needed to spread an entire population. And waiting in the wings for him to create an anti-serum was needful just in case any irregularities should turn up. Luis wasn't to be trusted, but he had his uses until he would serve no purpose.

Saddler wasn't confused in the least bit why the former researcher from Arklay wanted Ada Wong to live. The projected goal was to use the U.S. government agent; test him first as he makes his way through his puppet show, and find how resistant he is from their 'weapons'. If he proved quite defiant, then perhaps, having him with their power could be to his benefit. What wonders would the pesky Agent generate if and when he was under the control of the _plagas?_

If all goes well, the President's daughter would be under his control as well; this way Saddler would find out how much the President really cared for his offspring. All the projected plans, which are in his Plan A and Plan B mapping, Saddler will have everything in his power. Then everything will be as it is – to take over the world by controlling them through his beloved _plagas._ He laughed loudly at that; his stand by guards stood stock still by his side, listening to their leader's madness; lost too in their own world.

Saddler responded in a fashion that he didn't think much of Wesker's silent threat, but he'd do well to follow along since it did give much assistance in his anticipated plans.

"I shall use her to lure that Government Agent you find just as bothersome. This shall suit both our purposes, and not to worry, he'll be killed in the end, and the _plagas_? Your precious spy will have it….just as planned. I am however…" Saddler had haltingly responded…..his thickened fingers reached up to his rounded chin, touching the appearance of grime that seemed to infect his face. The cracked fingernails scratching the soiled jaw dug in his thick skin, "…..interested...in why you haven't noticed the Agent and your spy's obvious cliché love affair going on…"

Wesker had remained passively stone-faced behind the dark sunglasses. "It's a slight annoyance, yes, but it's not something that you should bother yourself with…just do as we both planned and everything will go smoothly."

The former Captain lounged back, brought his leg over one knee, inclining his blonde head against the top portion of the chair. "You have the President's daughter, have injected her with the _plagas_, and you got Leon as well….and when you do face him, make sure he suffers _severely…_.and I won't repeat myself again. No harm to Miss Wong when and if she does interfere. You'll do well to heed my caution if you want your cult to expound internationally."

He clicked off the satellite screen, embracing himself in the cover of darkness again. Wesker brought his gloved fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Pulling off the sunglasses, he allowed his predatory eyes to be soothed in the comfort of the atmosphere. The slits of his eyes widened to normalcy and he heaved a heavy sigh.

It was only a matter of time when Saddler's demise was expected. He wasn't much use after he had devised his plan to construct the powerful _plagas_. When Saddler tested it among his people that's when the severity of the situation began to escalate. This brought attention to Wesker and his private organization, alerting Ada into action to privately infiltrate the area. With her undeniable skills, she would be able to retrieve what was needed and he'd send Jack Krauser to deal with Saddler; bringing the President's daughter into the fold was an entirely different agenda than Wesker had planned.

This was all Saddler's idea, having the greediness of an insatiable megalomaniac, the cult leader wanted the world power to understand his demands. But he did this in a way that would be ingenious. Bringing Miss Graham back safe with the Government Agent was the plan, so that when she found herself next to her loving father, she would already be lost to him.

Bringing Ada Wong into the situation would in all probability make matters a slight bit complicated, but she had her orders. She wasn't supposed to be known to Saddler's men; however, it proved to be quite a distraction when Leon was around. This brought Saddler's attention to her meddling ways and therefore, Wesker had to get in contact with the cultist. This would secure Ada's mortality that he had worked hard to maintain.

The bulletins had already gone up on the new awareness of Ada's presence. This would alert the other _Ganados _and active cultists on the castle grounds. Wesker had to work diligently behind the scenes to keep things under control.

He called on Ada again, to find out how much she had progressed; she was already down to several _plaga _samples and needed at least a couple more to earn their estimated objective. Wesker knew that if Ada lived, Leon would live as long as she was there. With the anticipated event that should however prove itself in a predictable gamble, he would find to his satisfaction that Saddler and Leon facing off would end in one of their untimely and much needed death. Neither one of them would come out alive. And if one does, he had to make it clear to Ada to take them out.

And if that didn't work………

_Calm, Wesker, stay sensible_…..and he closed his eyes to shut out the light.

* * *

_--x— _

_the present _

_

* * *

_

He walked for awhile, taking in the scenery of trees and glanced at the faint pendulous leaves from branches; a speckle of glinting sun peeked through the dentilating tooth of taller trees, winking away into the circumfluous west. In the morning Ada would be gone….or if, possible, sooner than he imagined. He didn't doubt her ability to heal as fast as she did, even with little administration done on her.

Wesker had to keep a cool head; remain composed at all times. He hadn't changed too much over the years, and if anything, matured greatly, keeping the same rule he had kept in his poised exterior – _The art of management is to utilize everyone beneath you. And to achieve results, one must stay calm and make sensible decisions whatever the circumstances. _

Then a stroke of luck happened before Ada came to him bearing the news of the mission's success in Spain; when one of the major pharmaceutical companies had contacted him, he was deeply intrigued. They wanted to know if he was interested in the covert operations that currently went on in the Madre-falls Research facility - the falls peninsula. He had grinned then, his glowing sun-kissed eyes took in all the information leading up to his former mentor Dr.O'Neil.

"Well, well, well…." He remembered saying to himself, chuckling, "Here's to you, Ada, we'll see how you fare with the 'sample' you're about to give me."

His usual controlled mind had been in turmoil over what he should do then…..and when she had called on him, brought him the 'sample' personally, at his feet, he was more than wary. He knew what she had done. But all he could think of at the time, was to touch her….possess her. She desperately wanted to be a free spirit; yet, ironically, she kept coming back to him, touching and going, like a butterfly who came to a special place once a year because it was so natural, like living and breathing.

And she did come to him, bold as the bright colors she loved to wear….her heels sounded sexy on parts that touched the flat smooth surface of his office. The way she seductively moved, it heightened his predatory senses, and a low growl sounded in his throat. When he had touched her hand there was a need so broken in him that he wanted to lash out, take her violently and severely, but surprisingly, his nature with her was never rough.

Violence wasn't useful unless otherwise provoked and used for defense. She exuded class, and he admired that part of her. He didn't like people who were immature, like Birkin, many of the associates he had come to know in Arklay, with their foolish undeveloped minds were a blight to a scientific approach to things. Even Alexia's haughty exterior that hid a juvenile mentality would never see the light of a mature phase. Ada was different………she was cool, collected and calm…and he liked that.

Every human being had to go through maturity stages….like a butterfly. Sometimes, more often than not, they remained cocooned in their primitive phase. It was a pity too. That's the bane really, to be around idiots that didn't know what hole they ate and took a shit from; it was irritating because he found being around them useless. At the same time, in the patent absurdity of it all….it was that most of these idiots were only used for pawns in the great renaissance of Umbrella. Grunts - the lot of them; necessary until they were no longer needed. Just like the _plagas_ Saddler embraced for his people, keeping them controlled and if they died, no one would even care to erect an epitaph.

Fydor Dostoevsky once said _"to love someone is to see them as God intended."_

Unfortunately, for Dostoevsky, he didn't believe in worshipping gods except his own – _himself._

But he believed he was better than the self centered greedy men who showed insensible approaches that ultimately led them to their doom. He didn't live this long, suffered his humanity to allow rash decisions to give him death.

* * *

-x-

Ada had packed her attaché case, secured her belt of ammos along her waist and had donned her usual attire for the upcoming event. This was actually something she was doing privately, not what the organization or what Wesker planned, although the former agreed to the whole affair. Considering that she didn't even know where the good doctor was being held at. She had to find out any data on him leading to where they kept him. Wesker would know, certainly, but she doubted that she'd get anything out of him without some reasonable explanation why she wanted to know.

Lifting up her leg to secure the laces around her black combat boots, she pulled the leather strips around her calves, keeping a tidy sharp weapon hidden just in case she happened to find herself in close encounters with the wrong kind. Her lips stretched into a smile. There was one thing that Wesker forgot to give her in one of his generous bouts of gift-giving ventures. It's the fact that she loved to read and research, or maybe he only offered that in the way that he owned a library of information in his scientific accounts of viral activities and historical data on human, animal and plant victims.

Ada headed out of Wesker's luxurious bedroom, down the hall, passing silently by his private lab, which she noted, was locked and secured without his prior hand signature and password. She glanced at it once, going directly into an elevator, to the floors below; she stepped with a leisure confidence into the same sterile corridors leading to several of his laboratories. Watching for a moment, like a silent vigilant observer, the diligent workers in lab coats who were getting paid under Wesker's care. Researching took a long time, in fact years, if that, and shorter still, if there were more brilliant scientists to work on projects.

As she glanced one more time into the glass windows, she geared herself to walk out the building. Her fingers touched the button to the elevator. She was brought face to face in Wesker's company when the doors slid open.

"I see you couldn't wait to say goodbye before you left?" He mused dryly at her.

She half grinned at him. Her lashes fanning the tops of her flushed cheeks for a moment until she boldly looked him in the eye. "You promised me something to eat?"

"Ah yes, that…" He cleared his throat, took his gloved hands out of his dark pockets and touched her shoulder, causing a light electric surge on her exposed arm. She figured the entire place was sucking through so much electrical conduits that their contact would prove nothing more than annoying little bites of electric shocks.

He felt it too and slightly smirked. "Unfortunately, lighting is important to the workers if they need work to get done, don't you agree?"

"Stop reading my mind, Wesker," Ada lightly teased, half serious. "It's not polite to know all the secrets of a woman's mind."

"What would you like to have then?" He leaned in closer, a light whisper at her ear, touching softly as to send a shiver through her body. _What the hell was wrong with her? It must be hormones. That's it._ She rolled her eyes at that horrific thought_. This wasn't the time to go wet because you know how he feels on top and on the bottom, do you, __Ada__? Good men are hard to find...wait...no, wrong choice of words. _She momentarily closed her eyes and groaned inwardly. It must the birth control pills she was taking. It is a good thing he can't really read minds.

Right now, in her head, she had to find Dr.O'Neil's files, where he's kept, and if intuition proved right – he might still be on Madre-falls.

"I'm hungry for……" She bit her lips, actually thinking for once of food. "Italian…"

He inclined his blonde head, a little too close for her space; since they were in public….she didn't want anyone to think that they were associated more than just working partners. It wasn't wise to mix business with pleasure, was it?

"I'd love to feed you, Ada…" He slightly grinned. And he straightened, resuming his composed stature.

Ada warily gave him a sidelong glance. She would ask him directly where Dr.O'Neil was and demanded to be taken to him. No more pussy footing around, or trying to find a means to his files. Wesker would tell her……and he'll offer O'Neil's daughter on a silver platter.

The thought gave her a dark pleasure.


	21. The truth of the Organization

_**XXI**_

_**From the beginning to the end: the truth of the Organization**_

_**-S-**_

Krauser finally woke up, feeling blissfully lethargic after what seemed to be eons; the strong drug that left him in this condition still coursing through his body; it left him bereft of his motor skills. Trying to lift even a finger hadn't helped matters. It only brought a sharp pain, and seized up his muscles, giving the indicative catalepsy disorder and wasn't pleased. But pain had always been second nature to him; it brought him a sense of humanity and the feeling of living. It still didn't help matters much when he was still strapped, ready for another abuse therapy which he personally felt was a catagenesis of his progression.

The 'organization' had always kept Krauser under intensive study, being as he was prone to violent spurts of disorder, and being as that his brain matter had slowly deteriorated in the number of years since. In the truth of things, he was kept under surveillance this long because of his skill as a military soldier, and he would have followed orders just like a perfect pawn – and pawns sometimes do great things…..

The doctors that had operated on him were examining the plagas that was infecting his body, taking over his immune system, and most assuredly already burying itself in the folds of his brain. It was another to retrieve the perfect sample from the Salazar's surreptitious bloodline, spreading onto its poor victims, and sharing generously the rest of its power to the glorified and self centered Saddler. They found that the sample hidden in Krauser had mixed remarkably well with his blood; stalwartly embracing in the folds of his body, as if it was loved by its host, it thrived abundantly and gave back to Krauser what he wanted in exchange.

It was not without some ideal cause that all of this was happening. It needed to be done, and unfortunately, human victims had to be sacrificed. For the greater good. That's what they kept assuring themselves, and if they can sleep peacefully at night knowing those new generations would survive in the brutal attacks from being 'controlled' and manipulated, then so be it.

They told each other, equally elevating their podiums of self importance that science itself would be more than a passing revolutionary, bringing order and power to an insane world. It was programmed in Krauser's mind as well, and he kept his part of the bargain, keeping an eye on Saddler and his cult, and as always, keeping an eye on Ada and Wesker.

But what they forgot to jot down in their extensive reports, were the austere candid things that even epigraphists have misused; they were doing this not for the generations, but to keep from dying….out. If the thought of giving immortality extensions to a race of people that required boosting in the intelligence and comprehensive section are the only means to keeping humanity alive, they'd rather not. Unless, of course there were enough serums to provide for it. Why should they give scientific benefits to those who are too unintelligent to understand? But, they had agreed with a kind of generous attitude, if all goes according to plan, they can boost the brain's cerebral cortex and adjust the genetic code in the bloodstream to train a single mortal being to possess more than super-human strength. There were complications. The living mortals able to withstand small amounts of injected serums devised from their experimental mutated viruses, are alive today...

It was all in the matter of blood and the perfect coding of their DNA; it was for the reason that of the current rising depression that is causing the world's decay, which the organization deemed it fit to ensure peace. Even if that peace had to eradicate future mutations in blood, eliminating any imperfections; a perfect race was not what they were trying to ensure, they reminded each other. The organization isn't ignorant to the previous attempts that tried for a perfect human race.

How innovative was that? But ah, they reminded each other with reticent actions, _it was original_…..

They believed that they had to start with themselves. And to find pedigrees, as that in Salazar's family line; they possessed the true ability to mutate and infect, just as the Ashford family had the ability to attain. Ramon Salazar was the mutt from a long thread of a wealthy and revered dysfunctional family; however, he possessed a skillful inherited power to hone the _plagas_.

It was in his genetic makeup.

Indeed, the organization told each other, nodding in agreement to their equal shared vision, as the rise and fall for market dominance and territorial control kept them in power; it was in the bloodlines that these precious mutations and hidden knowledge were distributed.

They didn't want Krauser to awake fully, knowing entirely well that the American soldier would gut them without hesitation, and where would their valuable experiments be? When they tried so hard to achieve the goal of prolonged immortality? Even with their tampering in Krauser's immobilized body, they truly felt that they were doing him a service by keeping him alive this long. It was only a matter of time when he would finally succumb to the degradation of his tried body and mind.

Without some heavy barter, it had to eat up something for the fee he was rewarded.

_**-S-**_

Ada was quiet. Too quiet.

Wesker watched her silently as she ate with the same well mannered way she always radiated. Only to find her grey-green eyes straying over to him every so often; he leisurely sat back, the food before him not to his liking, and decided hastily to end the game. With the poise of a predatory cat, he had always been watchful, wary; preparing to pounce on his would be victims when and only if the need rose. A cat, with its musculature and ready powers, exuded patience and drive, but starving to know, and want, generally drove them to make rash actions.

" Ada, let's cut to the chase, shall we?" His fingers encased in the dark gloves he always wore, entwining deftly, but she knew beneath them, they vibrated with a causal deadly strength.

"I was just about to say…" She started, her cool eyes assessing him, but she stopped. He had taken off his sunglasses even in their darkened corner of the restaurant. They sat outside in the open air, much like it would be on a Parisian street, with the overhanging lights above sturdy round tables, charitably displaying a faint romantic air. She nearly  
scoffed at the visage. Wesker was a pragmatic. She knew romantic men, like John, and even Leon despite his inexperience was a romantic_….soul_, if not balanced by an amount of munificent practicality.

Wesker was far too sensible. Too realistic for anyone's good.

"You left this behind…" He drew out a private communication transmission attached to her files. A recorder which kept her data files up to date with her alliance to the organization she worked for. She arched a delicate brow, not in the least surprised. She was hardly careless, and it was only a matter of time when he would approach her with the fact.

"You're slow, Wesker…" She simply said, reaching for her cup of coffee….then slightly paused, seeing the cappuccino before her in a delicate design of a butterfly made from frothy micro foamed milk. Bracing herself, she gritted her teeth then sipped the hot beverage.

"Thought you'd find that interesting……" He smirked, noting her reaction.

"As exciting as the rest of your 'gifts'."

"If I thought you found them so exciting….I should have generously given you more…" There was a scathing razor edge to his tone, "Now….in the matter of your affiliation with a certain group."

She snorted, leaned back against the chair and folded her arms. "If you want information from me, you're going to have to do something in exchange."

"That's my girl…" His lips stretched into a lazy grin. "I knew I could count on your sharp powers of negotiation."

"I want Neveah."

It was point blank. He didn't even raise an eyebrow.

"Quite a high price, Miss Wong…." His golden hypnotoid eyes steadily looked into hers, searching for perhaps a recognizable spark. Impatient, Wesker brought himself closer, inching forward enough so that he whispered for her ears alone. "And just what is it that you plan to do with Neveah? Give her over to the organization you work for? For what?"

She drew her eyes away from him, rolling them heavenward, fluttering her dark lashes to close over them; anywhere from the intensity of his glare. Would he notice the contempt in her eyes right then and there? Ada challenged him back, the salvo was fired.

"Neveah is an important test study, and you and I know that she was able to take into her body, an alien substance that made her what she is….your reports only gave me enough information on what transpired between the two of you…."

Lounging back, placing one arm over the back of the chair, Wesker rested his ankle on his other leg, while his other gloved hand thoughtfully touched his jaw. Watching her, he shrugged. "And? You didn't answer my original question."

"I don't think so…." She countered back. Then stood up. "I'll pay my own meal. And you'll take me to Dr.O'Neil, Wesker, yes you will…." She commanded...gently, watching his body tense, his actions serene and calculated. He reached for his sunglasses on the table.

"I will, will I?" he laughed, despite himself, the rumbling of his laughter muffled as he covered them with his gloved fist, as if to hold a cough.

Drawing a ragged breath, Ada drew her perfect brows together. The man before her could kill her, but she knew he wouldn't……what purpose would that prove? Everything had to have a principle…and she knew him more than anyone else.

That knowledge alone should have been enough for him to kill her - wouldn't it? Because what insane man would keep and harbour a spy who knew every secret, every motive, and just about anything else……….her eyes strayed to the hard line of his lips, the broad line of his shoulders, and the way he easily and indolently placed his sunglasses over deadly nearly glowing eyes.

Ada visibly tensed. Realizing spartanly, beneath the fall of lights and cover of honeysuckle scents, the candles burning brightly, glowing, over the half eaten food on their plates…..the knowledge that there were only a few people outside with them, though further away from their table – giving them a near private accommodation…..brought an emotion inside her. This could have brought on by the ambiance itself, as she was weak to quixotic settings. Had it been planned?

The calm intensive logic Wesker displayed, even when she went through her missions, even when he was kissing her, drawing out her passions, fucking her – he was still unapproachable. His mind was so powerful that it could completely override all emotion when he wished it so. Whoever thought that a renaissance man would be the most sensible type ever to grace her world, and the most, she gasped inwardly, to give her everything she had ever wanted….

But the price was too high.

With logic so strong, Wesker can irrevocably decide to separate himself from anything whose loss could cause him further torment…and why? _Had he experimented on himself so many times, or were his emotions ready to boil out from underneath like a dormant volcano?_

And they used to say Vesuvius would never blow….

His deep eloquent drawl pierced her musings…..

"Nonsense. I said I'd treat you to fine meal, remember? When I saved you from drowning yourself on Madre-falls?"

"Suit yourself." She shrugged one shoulder, "I'm going to Madre-falls, Wesker, with or without you…"

"And just what do you expect to find there? There's nothing but a black hole in the middle of that isthmus. Do you really believe Neveah is placed there?"

"I'm going to find out her lineage….Wesker, because there's something about her and Dr.O'Neil that I couldn't find in the computer files or any of the data bases. They don't exist before their association with you…"

"Yeah that would prove quite annoying…" He grinned.

She wanted to wipe that grin away but smiled gracefully back. "Are you coming with me?"

"Back to Madre-falls?" Chuckling, he seemed to find the whole affair amusing. "There's nothing there, Ada…..nothing. What you'll find is a bottomless pit full of dead bodies, piling high, and anything else there that touches human contact would undoubtedly receive their fate."

"And the dead bodies, Wesker? What about the workers? Their families?"

"Don't be ridiculous." He waved a hand elegantly in the air. "They won't be missed…..much."

She took the recorder away from him, slipping it into her small attaché case. "You're so cold, Wesker, that's why you're so charming."

"I didn't mean to sound - " then paused. "Let's face it, Miss Wong...sometimes lives have to be taken, and they willingly gave their lives in blood."

"You mean, they read the requirements and yelled, 'what an opportunity to get that 5 minute fame'?"

"That's a myth. It isn't true and you know it."

She blew him a kiss, a lace of sarcasm in her honeyed voice. "You're bad for my sweet tooth, Wesker."

"Why I hire you over and over again, Ada, is largely the fact that you're able to separate emotion from attaining the projected goal…you're doing it now. You're never going to change. _Never_. So, unless we work together…"

"No."

He raised a dark blond brow. "Methinks you protest too much." He got up and pulled out some bills, slapping them down on the table. Wesker preferred to pay mostly in cash since it left no trace.

"I told you, Wesker, my last mission was done….i'm through taking orders from you. This time, we work together, by my rules."

"You must be getting well compensated for your time." He harshly bit out through gritted teeth. "Tell me…is it for Leon? Do you want to save the world? Or are you doing it to save the world from me?"

He was pulling on his jacket, brushing his sleek blond hair back. "I'll drive."

_Well, that was easy,_ Ada thought. _He asks a serious question and avoids it completely_.

They had taken separate cars, but insisted that he take the driver's seat….and she wondered if he was going to spill any information at her feet. Before she could utter a question, walking alongside him, his dry tone cut in.

"We're going over to Dr.O'Neil's place of residence, before he took the long leave to work on Madre-falls….there you'll find everything. To your hearts content."

As they drove into a wealthier area, past the security gates, and lush hilly landscape towards a high gothic-esque built mansion which stood on high ground; Ada noted that the private property hadn't been well kept. From a distance, it appeared that overgrown trees and hedges had been neglected from their regular shearing, but upon closer inspection, they had been attended to, purposely keeping the grounds hidden away with a heavy forest-like appearance.

"Why are you doing this, Wesker? Why are you taking me to the source? Do you trust me, darling?" She deliberately drolled out the last word.

Her whisper hung in the air, captured in a timeless spell in the dark interior of his car. His silence was enough, and she inhaled his masculine scent. _Was this a trap?_ She had every right to distrust him and he had every right to find her betrayal abhorrent. But wasn't he too just as guilty by betraying his former so-called 'friends' and comrades? Wasn't he too the same way?

How hypocritical would that seem if he took out his fury on her, while she, knowing the Mephistophelian approaches he possessed, not see that what she did, she did because she too had a projected goal? Wesker didn't take it kindly when Chris Redfield botched up his plans, and before that, he had saved both Jill and Chris from an attack years ago….. it was clear later that he needed them for further study on the mansions hidden 'secrets'.

Ada tensed. Was Wesker taking her to the O'Neil's residence for the same fate?

_Bastard_……she closed her eyes.

He cut into her betrayed thoughts. "Something troubling?"

She opened her eyes, parting her lips, but nothing came out of them. She was too stunned somehow…..and why would he care what she thought?

" Ada….I know how you operate. I don't need further study to understand how you act under certain circumstances. For one, recent study, you proved to me that your 'emotions' have gotten in the way when Leon was around. I've always known how you work, Ada…..from the very beginning of your betrayal to John and working alongside me…"

Wesker seemed to understand and it only made her slightly perturbed. Her eyes strayed outside, taking in the scenery of a clean neighborhood, the high lantern lights serving as street lights. Anything to take her mind away from Wesker. She sat demurely, like a princess with supreme manners, yet she was nothing like a princess. Speaking of blue bloods, her mind remembered many instances of pedigreed bloodlines and how secure they tried to keep them within the family. Her eyes flickered over to Wesker………there was something about O'Neil that wasn't right...it was his last name.

"I told you, Wesker, a woman doesn't like it when her mind is being read….."

He pulled his car up the steep driveway, turning off the engine to face her. "Like all good scientists who have the clout and family backing, Dr.O'Neil has an invaluable supply of information in his private laboratory."

"A workaholic huh?" She rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised? One of these days……" she quietly murmured………. "I'll actually start dating a non-researcher."

"And what? Date a Government Agent? Or a mercenary in need of change?" He remarked dryly. Somehow he didn't see Ada dating anyone without some reason to. She was invaluable that way. Unlike most women………..

"Mercenaries never change." She countered bluntly.

He gave her a sidelong glance, a wry smile revealing straight white teeth. "We shouldn't have any trouble inside."

"Are we breaking in? Or shall I infiltrate?" She lazily replied, her interest now piqued as her eyes took in the splendour of O'Neil's former mansion.

They approached the front steps, looking up at the columns displaying a flavour for an ionic artistic love: the feminine touch of the familiar artistic architecture mixing in with a dark Neolithic appeal. Pristine steps, despite the growing vines, covered parts of their path. The scent of honeysuckle lingered. Ada gave Wesker a suspicious look.

"What's going on?"

"We should hurry inside……before the guard dogs spot us." He hurriedly walked on, climbing the steps.

She turned back, a shiver ran along her spine and her hand stole to the gun at her hip.

The sound of a low growl behind her brought her gun up, but she was already on her back as two dogs in the shadows jumped, missing her by inches………bending backwards to avoid the salivated jaws, Ada kicked out, swiveling her body on the ground. And her booted heel caught the jaw of a large mastiff violently; she heard a cracked noise, the heavy dog whined pitifully as it hit the ground, whimpering. The other growled menacingly, leaped again, but was immediately silenced….and hit the ground next to the injured companion.

From above, Ada looked up and saw Wesker with his silencer.

He shook his head slightly. "Now..." He drawled, "You're the one too slow, Miss Wong…..shall we get going?"


	22. Wesker's Report

**_Wesker's Report: _**

It is no surprise that everything must come to a full circle: a circumvolve of events meeting in this case to reinstate logician developments in the history of science. When only less than a decade had passed, the Birkin's daughter being kept in constant surveillance, was not only a primary subject for study and research, but had now, satirically, as external circumstances may have it, taken the place of the deceased Lisa Trevor. Naturally, this isn't the same thing, if argued; however, there is the irony of the Birkin's experimental and dissolute approach to life.

His family meant everything to him, a narcissistic renegade in the face of newly created bio-organic weapon. Sacrifice everything, but your own flesh and blood. The Birkins got their wish through their daughter. What was it that Spencer had kept from us? When he had taken his first victims into his experiments? About the Trevors? Perhaps, that is why Spencer knew deep down that the DNA between his former architect and family; the Trevor's child would bring about events that even we, as detached as we tried to be, were undeniably grateful. I don't believe in destiny, or any of those manufactured ideas which come out of century old minds, but there is one thing I do accept as true: human nature.

--X--

They had entered the hall through the front doors: wide white washed double doors equipped with ornate door handles and expensive darkly rose colored glass, serving as small windows on both sides. Wesker hadn't look surprised at the interior, with the black and white alternating tiles curving in a directional goal, giving the indication to shift guests towards the stairway in the middle of the room. He was used to the typical way architects designed homes, particularly mansions.

Ada sent him a swift glance, noting the pause. "Something the matter?" She held on to her gun; her dark eyes quickly assessed the coverlets; the white thin sheets hiding the sparse furniture in the room. Clearly, someone had taken at least some effort to make sure everything was kept clean. Not a speck of dust clung to the banisters or visible furniture ornamentations. The lack of unsequious furniture brought her attention to O'Neil's sense of style; a plainly stylish man with little need of extravagance; clearly tasteful in his choices, it was this that impressed her.

Their steps were muffled by the stretched thin carpet beneath them, looking like someone rolled out the _red carpet_ for visitors. She saw what made him stop; her eyes scanning up to the faint lines halfway through the stairway. This led to the upper floors, revealing the stark red and visible- laser beams for security measures.

He mumbled to her to remain there. With purposeful strides, he walked up to the corner of the room where a nondescript painting hung, pulled it aside to reveal a panel with silver touch sensitive buttons. Wesker appeared to know the code by memory, skillfully touching the right codes to unlock the alarm system. It didn't allow the red beams to disappear but the stairway had opened up from the middle; it opened up like a tow bridge, similar to permitting boats with a higher sail to pass through; the partition moved up to reveal a hidden dark passageway towards a substructure.

Ada briefly held her breath. She had to remember, if Wesker told her that all her desires of obtaining information would come here, then she'd have to be more than wary.

He looked at her; a flicker of a faint smile touched his cynical lips. She slyly glanced at him. The tension in the room seemed to crackle then, he bowed slightly with an inclination of his blond head. "Ladies first?"

"By all means, it's my job….and duty." She smirked. "Laboratory?" A brow went up questioningly.

"Something like that." Wesker had already inched closer, his hand slightly moving upward to secure behind her back, as if urging her to go forward.

"You'll watch my back, won't you?" She added for extra measure, but she didn't wait for his reply, not expecting one; Ada stridently walked into the dark hole of uncertainty. Her blacktail secured in her hand, and at first she tried to adjust to the darkness, knowing that Wesker was right behind her; his prepared eyes with built in cat-like vision was able to see everything.

She reached into her buttoned purse along her inner thigh for a flare. Wesker's solid form slid up against her from behind, his hot breath in her ear. "No need. Just wait a moment, for the sensors to adjust to our heat, then the dim lights will come on."

Ada waited for a moment, feeling slightly annoyed at the fact that she felt secured with Wesker there. He could very well stab her in the back for all he cared, despite their history, but before she could think of anything else, a streamline of lights came on. A pool of yellow light touched the corners of normally pristine counters and countertops; the glass beakers shone with unusual light. Thin glassy tubes and wires tangled, hung up by metal shiny pipes attached to the counter tops and walls. Panels of cabinets opened up to reveal various bottles, cans and plant artifact, displaying oddities of what could have been useful…..There were the out of place boxes of ammo, peeking behind broken pots next to the almost plastic plant specimens.

"Typical laboratory, I take it…" she trailed off, noting the freezer cubicle and another space that looked like it kept an operating room. A movement there caught her attention.

"Wesker….?"

"I know. He's here."

That was it. He simply _knew. _

It irked her to no end, but shoved it aside; her slight irritation merging into a slow amusement. She was never the type to lose herself in any situation. Being a professional spy meant to keep your emotions intact. With Wesker, she bet on her life that he was ten times worse, but what Ada didn't know was what the effects of his tyrannical virus that flowed through his system did to him. What and how much of his humanity has been lost?

So far, only the effect was the same before he was 'revived,' as he was always and had been unemotional. It's not a wonder that whatever he had given himself years ago, blended harmoniously with his own personal character. She wondered too how it would affect someone_ very emotional _and if that kind of reaction would cause a kind of irrational enraging tyrant, delving more into the lower regions of the brain.

Wesker took the initiative this time, walking ahead; the sliding metal doors opened up before them. The hunched figure standing there over an operating table paused at the interruption.

Dr. O'Neil was expecting company, just not the two of them together. He had slowly turned around, his sterile laboratory coat hung loose around his shoulders, indicating loss of weight. His sunken eyes signified that he had not slept for quite some time; the candid amused look on his hollowed appearance took Ada by surprise. Her mind clipped the puzzles together, weaving the events in correct slots. And how Wesker knowingly brought her here, to his mansion, to this place - everything was so well planned…._typical Wesker._

"Miss Wong.." Dr.O'Neil acknowledged, deliberately ignoring the blond man in shades and dark outfit. He chuckled tiredly, "I was hoping to see you, but not so soon and right into my hands."

"You were?" She had to admit, she was glad as well. It helped matters move along quite nicely. "Isn't it funny how we think along the same lines? I see since you're home, you're back to doing what you love best." Her eyes strayed to the operating table; a cadaver of what looked like part human and part something else lay there motionless. "But there is a matter I'd like to discuss with you."

"That is why you're here, of course. You didn't come here for cookies and my special brand of coffee.." He trailed off…then without warning, giggled.

The doctor didn't miss the woman's expression as she blinked, arching a fine brow at him in return. "Um well that's nice that you haven't lost your sense of humor, doctor, but, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be frank with you."

The scientist continued to assess her, shifting momentarily over to at Wesker, finally acknowledging the former Researcher. "What do you have to say to this, Albert? That your woman decides to take matters into her own hands?" He ended it with a chortle, "But ah, you've been protecting her all this time haven't you? You should be used to her taking events into her own plans."

She drew her brows together. _Protection? _She would have laughed at the ridiculousness of the accusation; however, despite Dr.O'Neil's obvious intellect, was still lacking in some areas. Perhaps if he did, there was a reason behind it and that would be to benefit his own goal. Once she would no longer be an asset in his world, he would discard her like all the rest……or keep her like a good obedient spy.

Wesker had been characteristically silent in the duration; he smoothly unfolded his arms, tucking his gloved fists within the dark pockets of his suit. His dry tone was relaxed, confident... "Haven't we gone over this before?"

O'Neil's visage became quite ugly, drawing his mouth back, he spat out. "You're the cause of my daughter's obsession; I gave her everything and she would have had it all. If not, for your interference again and obvious luck."

Ada would have scoffed at that. If anyone had the luck of the devil it would have been Wesker alright, but he worked hard for it. With some mixture of a driving force, his vision for a new world, he was able to avoid death. But how much longer would he able to withstand those who go against him? Even she, with what she knows of his nature, his driven passion, he isn't invulnerable.

It's a shame really, while someone like Leon didn't have to work so hard…...things normally came naturally to him. _Always coming up smelling like roses._

Sure, he had a guardian angel…...but most of his ingenuity came from his gut instinct.

She wondered if Wesker used his gut instinct wisely, working himself up, dropping humanity by the wayside. All for the sake of Umbrella.  
One could feel a tinge of sorrow for his achievements; however, Ada couldn't be bothered to be sucked into such useless emotions. They'd only get her killed. Strange how life turned out; she tried to protect Leon, nearly biting the dust, while Wesker...

She couldn't believe it. Not in a million years.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the stinging accusation from the scientist. "Didn't you realize, my dear? He's been covering up for you from the events since Racoon city? Behind the scenes, after he met you and your deceased love, John."

The former Captain couldn't even begin to understand or know how hard his partner was breathing. But he knew that Ada would have wanted to tell the doctor that she never really loved John; that he was just a ruse to get what she wanted; it was only too obvious that she wasn't proud of her past.

Wesker's dark soft laughter sounded loud in the room. "You assume far too much, Dr.O'Neil." His sarcastic drawl rolled off his tongue, making light of the serious accusation in his former mentor's face.

"Ada is merely a tool for my uses."

This should have hurt another woman, but Ada wasn't just any woman. Emotional pain didn't touch her; she had schooled her feelings from the beginning with Wesker and she was damned if she started now.

Dr.O'Neil wasn't convinced. "If so, then why do you care if she were alive? Why do you care while you use everyone around you? Why is it that when Birkin decided to betray Umbrella, keeping the G-virus for himself, which he _never_ told you about, you stood by waiting for his inevitable death?"

The older scientist sucked in his breath, continuing his verbal assault. "And why was it you waited for Ada to come looking for me, find the true key to my research; and you cleverly finding my daughter, only to eliminate my poor girl in the end?"

"Your daughter is still being put in good use. You do want your girl to be useful to science, don't you?" Wesker countered back, his voice dropped to a hushed dangerous tone. "You saw to it that she was what she is now. No one twisted your arm."

Silence. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Ada felt as if there was something more. As if she stood in the eye of a terrible storm.

"Come, you both should follow me…" The older man finally stretched a fake smile, stifling a giggle. He moved deftly, approaching a grey blank wall. Planting his hand over it, he pressed it hard enough so that a panel moved back, sliding to reveal a lever. "My daughter isn't here much to your disapointment, Miss Wong, but as you both know, there is something else I want to show. Naturally, I was hoping for the private company of the lady in butterfly wings…" His eyes shifting back and forth to his guests.

Ada looked around the room, as if distracted; there was nothing on her that remotely connected her to a butterfly. Nothing symbolic. She wanted to scoff violently at that.

Dr.O'Neil walked with a steady gait, his slumped shoulders revealed a bony shoulder blade despite the fact that he wore the lab coat to cover them.

The loud sound of a metal door slid open, showing the visitors sanitized silver metallic cells with bars containing potted plants. Dr.O'Neil giggled, his voice muffled by the strange noise in the room. A humming combined with the same music Ada heard within the substructure of Madre-falls. She stepped back a way, alerting Wesker beside her. "You've managed to procure your human friends here I take it?"

His reply was a shrug. "Charlie missed you, Miss Wong. He didn't get to have much time with you."

"Good to know he's still alive." She said, the tinge of cynical amusement plainly in her tone. "Where is your daughter by the way?"

"Why? I thought Wesker had told you?" He looked almost surprised, then his expression darkened. "Ah yes, he does keep many secrets does he not? Quite irritating it must be for you."

"I have it on good authority that no harm shall come to her."

The scientist gave an explosive sigh. "There is nothing that can harm her anymore." Giving a half shrug, he turned his attention to the tall man in dark suit.

"As for you, Wesker…" Dr.O'Neil's tone was challenging. "I should have known…..and should be happy that you did come after all. I would have guessed as much, wherever your female spy goes, you'll be there hounding on her skirt tail. Never a man to lose his quarry you are. What is it about Miss Wong that proves to be a great test study for you? Are you in fact trying to figure out what drives a person in the quest to find their mate?"

The former researcher knew that Dr.O'Neil meant Leon. There was a notable tick to his jaw, but Wesker's expression was hidden in the depths of his amber-cat eyes.

Despite Wesker's apparent nonchalance he had been watching him closely, "People can assume whatever they want, doctor, you of all people should understand that. I had been under the assumption that you would welcome me. After all, it was me who ordered that your daughter be kept safe and alive."

A shadow of sorrow crossed the doctor's features. "Alive? You call that alive? She would be better off dead…." He ended with a harsh whisper.

Without warning, Dr.O'Neil gripped another lever just close to the cell he came up to. "This shall be my parting gift to both of you…..Charlie sends his love, Ada Wong, and oh, one more thing, Wesker….you must take care of your inhuman eyes…"

Then disappeared through the same doorway they had entered from, his movements suddenly suprisingly fast.

Ada was about to go after him, but Wesker held her with his hand, gripping fast around the small of her wrist. His hushed voice in her ear. "Don't….just be prepared. Whatever happens, you must get whatever it is you came here for. I brought you here under strict guidance that you're to retrieve information to the whereabouts of Neveah. Another thing, he wants to know if you are worthy…."

"I thought you knew where Neveah was….and you led me here, to his trap! And…..worthy?" She glared at him. "What kind of –…" But was cut off.

The bars to the cell flew up, vanishing into the crevices above. The potted plants moved its branches and leaves in a fashion that lent itself to a lazy seductiveness, appearing to be readying itself for an attack. Ada shook her head. "Oh no….not this time…" She took aim.

Wesker halted her again. "No…. you must avoid it, but not kill them. At least not yet."

"I wasn't planning on actually killing them, Wesker darling.." Her honeyed tone dripping acidic on his ears, "I was hoping to get killed first then after my death, I'll come back for revenge." Alright, she thought inwardly, she was being a bit sarcastic. But she didn't have to wait around for Wesker to halt her again when the vines snapped towards them; they parted ways as they both skidded off to the side.

The sound of a rotary machine hummed and the floors moved, shaking beneath them until they were sent spiralling downward into a black hole that had opened up at their feet.

They were but a hairs breath away, their eyes tried to adjust to the darkness. Wesker was the only one who could see better than her. Feeling something creepily inching from her position, Ada was caught up in a snare of some sort; the vines wrapping itself around her body in a methodical manner. Her quick survival skills didn't get her this far, and so, grabbing the knife around her thigh, the spy started slashing. She had lost her weapon from the rough fall and that was another reason to get a little peeved.

She grunted. "Wesker, I didn't think that O'Neil was so hospitable. Does he always treat his guests like this?"

"There's a doorway ahead; it's most assuredly another trap." He paused, hearing her frustrated curses. As he turned to look at her predicament, she was tearing her way out of the sticky embrace.

"The more you struggle, the more it will hold you closer."

"Are you just going to stand there and watch me get hugged to death?"

He held his breath, as if waiting for her to do something else…."I can't." His voice remained steadily laconic, even under such conditions. "If I attempt to free you, it will only hold tighter…just relax."

She did so, but this only allowed the vines to multiply, wrapping its hold around her body with even more fervor than before. Ada gasped, swallowed and a trickle of wet tears sprung out of her eyes. The pain was unbearable. She would die here because Wesker told her to freaking relax, then she would kick his ass all the way back to Arklay when she got out of this.

A blinding flash of light penetrated their surrounding. Wesker instinctively reached up to cover his eyes with his hands. A flash of red laser from a distance haphazardly started moving in their direction.

"Oh great." Ada said beneath her ragged breath, feeling the vines slowly release its death grip. "O'Neil has a wonderful array of toys to play with."

Wesker took out his silencer, taking a shot at ceiling where the lasers beamed out of. He managed to disable a few of them but most of them were stealthily making a clean path to their prey.


	23. Science vs Fantasy

_NOTES; sorry so incredibly short. I'll make it long next chapter._

_this chapter is dedicated to Tyrant Hamster. 3_

**_Science vs. Fantasy_**

**_-v-_**

Krauser's vital signs were steady; the panoramic panel on the wall revealed his status. The long beeping noise of a heart beat, coupled with the plaga inside his body gave them security that Krauser is too strong to die. The scientists were amazed how his DNA actually embraced the virus in a unique way, and perhaps just like anything else, it could have been due to blood type, inimitable chromosomal sequences, inheritable traits, mitochondrial dna bearing endiosymbiotic hypothesis. They could hear his heart beat, and at first, the faint, rhythmic thumps came in a monotone series, like thunder in the distance. Now, it thumped loudly, giving them indication that perhaps the plaga itself was fighting to live, or….tear out of its host's body.

They wondered about his ability to dream, as this was connected to his mental state. The small group of scientists in their pristine laboratory coats were armed with white hoods, bearing a plastic covering on the faceplate to keep their inner facility sterilized. Now that their test subject was exposed from the inside out, they had attached several small wires to his frontal lobe as well as the rest of his cranial construction. Waiting took awhile. In the meantime, their analysis proved to be sufficient enough with the drawing of his blood; now encased in small tubes, held up by a plastic holder. Krauser's blood contained a high amount of glucose and this startlingly increasing lively adenosine 5'-triphosphate: energy - hordes of it.

It wasn't just that, it was the fact that his metabolism was skyrocketing. Despite having a figuratively normal intellect, Krauser was anything but insufficient in all other areas.

Finally, the American soldier's brain activity came into view – a status came up in the form of a holographic type screen. This only gave them visuals in terms of color, solid and distinct forms that seem to play either against each other in a dramatic display equipped for a theatre. The colors, however were the most important as they noticed the distinctive aggression- showing symbolic attributes.

Krauser's mind on the other hand, unaware of the probing scientists, had now come to a full visual on his part. He was as per usual – fighting.

Most would think, in that psychological screwed up approach - that he was fighting his demons, but to Krauser, _no fucking way_. If they even were lucky to look closer, they could see the maliciousness displayed; the hard line of his lips turned up, revealing a very pleased possessed man. Standing on top of a dark conical shaped mountain, with the clouds of doubt swirling around him like a dark coffee laced with an ecstasy drug; Krauser's dark shadow against them showed a man with an arm reaching to the pinnacle of his throne. His throne was his own private Idaho. Nothing like flowers or shit like that. If they did fall down in that insanely false pretty manner from his mind they instantaneously disintegrated into skeletal figures, materializing with bony hands clutching weapons that could bludgeon someone severely.

He liked music. Yes, Krauser loved the sound of a strumming metallic guitar blasting in rhythmic thumping to the electric thunder in his dream. A zig zagging lightning cloaked the blackened sky of his fantasy world; he was sincerely happy that the 'demons' of his fancy clambered eagerly up to his majestically wondrous Soldier-self. And coincidentally, the drums pounding in that far off distance matched the deep fear of jungles too scary to delve into – giving birth to cowards who were afraid to venture into. It only paralleled the intensity of the insanity going on into the core of his being.

He could in this unreal world say and do whatever the hell he wanted, and he did so with a gloating expression. Krauser's lip curled: "Come on, motherfuckers! Come and show me what you got!"

One threatening fist slammed into a skull that had ambled itself around his feet, while his other - plaga infested arm took great initiative to slice and dice like a French chef making pate' on a hot summer's day. Throwing his head blond head back, the all too proud soldier laughed with your typical villainous loud roar; he had no worries; his arm fiercely pounding with true American blood; a mixture of everything from his ancestors who struggled and fought their way to live and die on a new world. The skeletal figures possessed no real bones as Krauser rushed at them, crushing them in two, always impatient and too randy for his own damn good.

He slashed, kicked, ducking mercurial slick from the attacks, and with deft swift moves avoided every slash from a large metal hammer or a chain with a deadly ball, equipped with pointy spikes. A few of them managed to hold him from behind as his battle moves focused on the frontal group attacking him, but he relented, broke their arms into pieces which only miraculously rewound itself back to their host. Krauser was elated. This would last a good long while. He really liked that. The grin on his scarred face widened as he felt the blade of his arm gut through several bony figures like a shiskabob.

Meanwhile, the scientists were amazed at the activity his brain was producing. His vital signs pulsated, reaching high and still steadily beeping. They noticed that he twitched; turning into a violent jerkiness, an indication they all agreed that these were merely muscle spasms. The plaga from his body would be extracted, because it was combined with his precious blood, and with that, they would be able to perform more tests to procure their own vision, scientifically beneficial – of course.

**---vvvvvv----**

Ada saw it too.

She was glad for the release on her person, because then, she wouldn't be able to grab onto her grapple gun.

Taking an aim towards the ceiling, she had the opportunity to look up earlier while being incarcerated. That's where she'd get her freedom, to put distance from herself and the now approaching deadly lasers. In this terrible black hole they fell down to, it looked like something that portrayed a semi-greenhouse; equipped naturally with Dr.O'Neil's special treats.

Wesker heard her grappling hook take an anchor to the very top of the ceiling; there was a small crack that indicated that was where they were previously.

"Coming with me or are you going to stay and fight the good fight, Wesker?" She drolled out; her dark lashes lay distractingly sublime on the tops of her flushed cheeks for a moment.

"Saving my ass, Miss Wong?" He seemed to scoff inwardly at that, his silencer put away now. In another second, he had a pair of incendiary grenades. "I think I'd rather you stay with me, but do as you wish." And in another swift action, threw the grenades into the oncoming lasers. Upon the blast, fire spewed upward; it managed to surprisingly halt the red beams, honing into the flames like a wielder on its work.

She was not too surprised as she looked back at him. "Heat?"

"This sort detects heat in anything, their sensors were activated when we dropped down." He kept his shades on, she noticed, even in the subterranean area where they were at. He continued with that brisk dry tone, as if he wasn't overly concerned with their situation. "In a few minutes, the fire will eventually go down, and I don't think I'd like to be cut through."

Wesker's sensual lips sent her a slight smirk. "And those are your grenades, young lady. For shame you didn't think of it first."

"Hah! While I was on my back getting the best hug of my life?" Diverting her attention elsewhere, Ada glanced up again. "I'm taking my chances above. You should have saved one grenade to keep them at bay."

With that, she tugged on the wire, making sure it was firm enough and before she went spiraling upward, Wesker's gloved fingers gripped her waist. They both went up as the sound of a wire zinged.

Just as they reached the top, Ada grunted at the weight of his body. "Wesker, mind climbing up to open the hatch?" They hung there, looking like a couple of dead giveaways to now approaching lasers.

"Shit!" Wesker cursed beneath his breath. "Be right back."

"Wesker – what!" Ada yelled out, half afraid of what he'd do, but she knew he'd never put himself in the line of fire. It wasn't his nature. He would as soon put her on the front lines if it came between him and another human being. He'd never play the hero.

But she watched as he landed on the ground, fearlessly facing the lasers. In one fluid and rapid movement, he took off his sunglasses.


End file.
